Surrey mayor calls for action after two high-risk offenders are released to reside in the city

Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke says a second high-risk offender has been released to reside in the city within two days. Public warnings from Surrey Police Service state that Jonathon Anders Muzychka and Skylar Wayne Pelletier, both designated high-risk offenders with histories of serious violent offences, will live in the community.

Locke said both are subject to extensive court-ordered conditions, electronic monitoring, curfews and continuing police oversight, which she said underscores the risk authorities believe they pose. She called the situation unacceptable and said Surrey, with more than 700,000 residents including families, children and seniors, should not again be required to accommodate people who pose a significant public-safety risk.

While supporting rehabilitation and recognizing that successful reintegration must be part of the justice system, Locke said communities should not bear an unfair burden in housing offenders who pose a significant risk to the public. She said Muzychka and Pelletier are not welcome in Surrey and that residents can question why the city continues to be selected for such placements.

Locke called on the federal Minister of Justice to take concrete action to strengthen public protections and ensure communities such as Surrey do not carry an undue burden in managing high-risk offenders. Responsibility must be shared fairly across jurisdictions, she said, adding that Surrey residents deserve accountability and results and that their safety must be the overriding priority.