Police in British Columbia will be getting more money to support road safety.

The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) is cutting its annual advertising budget in half and redirecting those funds to police traffic enforcement. 

“Drivers in British Columbia who insist on high-risk driving are clearly not following ICBC’s general road safety advertising messages,” said David Eby, Attorney General. “Redirecting ICBC advertising dollars to increase enforcement will give police officers more opportunity to deliver a specific and personal advertising message directly to more reckless drivers at the side of the road. That’s a good thing.”

Next fiscal year, ICBC will direct an additional $2.4 million for enhanced traffic enforcement throughout the province, bringing ICBC’s total annual investment in road safety traffic enforcement to $24.8 million.

“ICBC is facing significant cost pressures that really start from one place — crashes,” said Nicolas Jimenez, president and CEO, ICBC. “With crashes at an all-time high in our province, we’re committed to doing what we can to reduce claims costs and relieve the pressure on insurance rates.”

ICBC is extending its contract with its existing advertisement agency for one year, to use the agency’s deep understanding of ICBC to help communicate more effectively and efficiently with customers about the changes coming to auto insurance in B.C.

Quick Facts:

• ICBC has a funding agreement (Road Safety Memorandum of Understanding) with government to support enhanced traffic enforcement and related enforcement advertising.
• Last year, there were 350,000 crashes in B.C. or about 960 per day — a record high.
• ICBC will retain approximately $2.4 million in its advertising budget for the next fiscal year — money that will be spent educating British Columbians on the changes taking place to B.C.’s auto insurance system over the next 12 months, along with support for road safety enforcement campaigns.
• ICBC road safety campaigns will also continue to be supported through social media, earned media and community outreach throughout the province.