Vernon councillor does U-turn on shopping cart ban

VERNON – A Vernon city councillor has reversed his decision on the city's controversial proposal to ban shopping carts from public areas.

Coun. Brian Quiring says in a press release that although he voted at the July 23 meeting on a recommendation from the Activate Safety Task Force for a city-wide ban on shopping carts in public areas, "on reflection" he believes the ban "will not lead to solutions that we desire."

"I believe banning shopping carts will only serve to further deteriorate the situation of the street-entrenched population and possibly push them to desperation. This is the opposite of what we want to accomplish as a healthy community," Quiring says in the release.

Quiring goes on to say as an elected official his job is to make decisions and sometimes he makes mistakes.

"I have the ability to recognize that and to change," he says.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Ben Bulmer or call (250) 718-0428 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.