British Columbia Witness Security Program Designated

Summary#

These final regulations—Regulations Amending the Schedule to the Witness Protection Program Act (British Columbia Witness Security Program)—add the British Columbia Witness Security Program to the federal list of designated programs under the Witness Protection Program Act. The change, registered on August 12, 2021, makes it easier for people in B.C.’s provincial program to get secure federal identity documents (like passports or social insurance numbers) without first being admitted into the federal program.

What it does#

• Adds the British Columbia Witness Security Program to the schedule of the Witness Protection Program Act, formally recognizing it as a designated provincial program.
• Allows witnesses admitted into B.C.’s program to obtain federally issued identity documents more directly, without also having to meet the separate federal admission rules for the federal witness program.
• Extends the federal non-disclosure protections in the Witness Protection Program Act to information about B.C.’s program, its witnesses, and program administrators. That can make certain disclosures a federal offence, enforceable across jurisdictions.
• Uses existing federal capacity (the Royal Canadian Mounted Police) to support the change; there are no new federal service programs created.

Who's affected#

• People admitted into the British Columbia Witness Security Program — they are the main group affected because the change speeds up access to federal identity documents needed for secure identity changes.
• British Columbia government and the provincial program administrators — the designation formalizes cooperation with federal partners.
• The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (the federal operational authority under the Act) and federal identity document issuers — they will apply the new designation when handling requests from B.C.’s program.
• It is not expected to affect businesses; the source says there are no new costs and services are handled within existing RCMP resources.

Why it matters#

• Faster, simpler access to federal identity documents (for example, passports and social insurance numbers) reduces delays in giving people new identities when they need protection. That can have a direct impact on the safety of witnesses and their ability to rebuild their lives.
• Extending federal non-disclosure protections gives stronger legal protection to information about witnesses and program staff across jurisdictions, not just within B.C.
• The change is administrative and requested by British Columbia; the source states it does not add new costs because it uses existing RCMP processes.