Early water restrictions drive sharp rise in Richmond bylaw calls

Richmond bylaw staff opened 659 calls for service for investigation in June and July, a 56.5 per cent increase from the same period in 2025, as historically early water restrictions prompted more complaints.

The figures, to be presented to the city’s community safety committee Wednesday, show staff received 245 lawn-watering calls during the two months and issued 52 tickets. Those tickets accounted for about one-third of all non-parking bylaw tickets issued in July.

A staff report by Mark Corrado, Richmond’s director of community bylaws and licensing, says compliance concerns rose after early water-conservation measures took effect, making up 36.1 per cent of complaints. In the drought year of 2015, Stage 3 restrictions did not begin until July 20. Metro Vancouver implemented Stage 2 restrictions on May 1 this year, bypassing Stage 1 entirely.

Richmond Fire-Rescue also reported more fires. Ninety-two fire incidents were reported to the BC Office of the Fire Commissioner in June, compared with 41 in June 2025 and a five-year June average of 58.

Acting fire chief Grant Wyenberg said no single cause explains the June increase. Fire crews responded to outdoor fires in varied circumstances and locations, and while some incidents involved people experiencing homelessness, available data does not support identifying homelessness as the primary cause of the overall rise.

July recorded the highest number this year of drug-related or social-disorder calls to Richmond RCMP: 52, the most since last November. Eighteen were confirmed, meaning police directly observed drug use or apparent signs of intoxication.

There were 276 mental-health-related incidents in June 2026, up 16 per cent from the previous month but down seven per cent year to date compared with the same point in 2025. Police apprehensions totalled 66, within the average range. Chief Superintendent Dave Chauhan said average hospital wait time was 130 minutes, above the normal range largely because of eight incidents with exceptionally long waits. Twenty-three people were responsible for two or more calls in June, with three callers each generating five incidents.

Richmond drivers received nearly 2,500 tickets in June and July, with speeding the most commonly ticketed infraction.