Residents of Hay River, N.W.T. on edge over recent crime in the community

People in Hay River, N.W.T., are feeling on edge about crime in the community.

The most recent incident was an attempted arson early Wednesday morning at a home on Stewart Drive. Hay River RCMP say they are investigating the incident and believe it is linked to the local drug trade.

Police say two suspects were seen fleeing on foot. A resident managed to extinguish the fire, and no injuries were reported. RCMP say no arrests have been made. 

Jane Groenewegen, a longtime resident and business owner in Hay River, says that break-ins, property damage, and theft seem to have become more frequent in the community, and that many incidents appear to be linked to drug and addiction issues. It's left many residents feeling unsafe, she says.

"When people are desperate, they do desperate things, and that's the kind of thing that's making people nervous, particularly people who live alone, and perhaps the elderly," she said.

Groenewegen's downtown hair salon was broken into last month. Thieves stole several valuable items and left the shop in disarray.

"The cameras in the mall where that hair salon is, they did their job — it's all there," she said. "But it doesn't seem to be a deterrent."

RCMP confirmed that a 23-year-old woman, well-known to police, was arrested and charged with the break-in. Several stolen items were recovered, and the woman now faces multiple property crime-related charges. 

Groenewegen believes police are doing their best to investigate crimes and lay charges, but she feels the punishments delivered by the court system don't always suit the crime.

"When these types of offences get to the courts, it seems like that is where there are limitations on how these matters can be dealt with," she said. 

In a statement to CBC News, Const. Josh Seaward with the Hay River RCMP said there has always been some crime in the community, but that "it does appear that perhaps it's a bit more heightened" lately — though he wouldn't provide statistics.

"On the other hand, we are also more active in the media reporting on these things, and the public has more awareness now," he said. 

According to recent data from investigations done under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Acts, drug-related charges nearly doubled in the Northwest Territories between 2020 and 2024.

Seaward says the police are actively investigating incidents and working to apprehend offenders, but community assistance is crucial and residents are encouraged to report suspicious activity and provide information.

"We certainly can't do it alone," he said. "The whole basis of policing is information must come from the general public. Public safety is everybody's responsibility."

'It's important to help with some of the solutions'

One local resident who is already trying to do her part is Kimberly Ann Coleman. She's a new member of the Hay River Community Watch group which was formed last summer to help address the crime problem.

Coleman also believes there's been a "huge" rise in criminal activity in Hay River, much of it drug-related.

"So I think it's important to help with some of the solutions, to deal with the problems," she said.

One of the group's new initiatives is a car alarm system designed to deter suspicious activity. Residents take turns monitoring their neighbourhoods, and if they see anything concerning, they activate their car alarms.

Coleman said the goal is to create a ripple effect, where multiple alarms sounding at once signal that people are paying attention and will not tolerate criminal activity. Initial tests of the program have shown strong participation.

"You can feel like you've done your small part to help out," she said. "It's like, 'hey, we're watching. We know what's going on. We're not going to put up with it anymore.'"  

However, she stressed that continued community involvement is needed for the group's efforts to be effective.

"I say to everybody, 'you can be part of the problem or part of the solution.' And we would love, love, love for people to step up with ideas," Coleman said.

The group is also working on advocacy efforts, for example by attending upcoming court proceedings to deliver a community impact statement. Coleman said the goal is to highlight how deeply crime affects the town and encourage courts to take these cases seriously. 

"We get the opportunity to state how we feel about the situation, what's going on, how it's impacted members of the community," she said. "The hopes are, we can fill the gallery with 15 to 20 people so there's mass support."

Coleman believes that real change will require active participation from the entire community.

"I grew up in this community, my children grew up in this community, and the real change I have seen growing up is, youth were never afraid to walk to the library, to walk to the pool, to ride their bikes," she said.

"This started changing while my children were growing up. It's more fear."