Fort St. John council welcomes new Community Safety Manager 

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The City of Fort St. John has created a new staff position to assist in managing the bylaw department.

Mayor Lilia Hansen and council welcomed and congratulated Erin Ferris on her new position as Community Safety Manager at the May 27th meeting. 

“She demonstrated her exceptional ability to conceptualize, develop and manage programs at both the Northern Centre of Hope and supportive housing,” said Hansen. 

Ferris is a native of Fort St. John and studied at Northern Lights College and the University of Northern British Columbia, earning an undergraduate degree in social work in 2013. 

Ferris then joined the Salvation Army as program director from 2013 to 2024.

According to Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Darrell Blades, the duty of the new position includes being a frontline manager for the bylaw department and working with community groups and organizations on community safety, which bylaws are involved in. 

“The bylaw department used to report directly to the director of public safety and has for as long as I can recall, so this is the first time that bylaw has a frontline manager,” said Blades.

Hansen added that Ferris’ position is within the city budget.