Former B.C. attorney general Geoff Plant is starting Thursday as Vancouver's new Civil City Commissioner, with a mandate to clean up the city's streets by the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Dubbed by some as the city's new "crime czar," his job is to reduce homelessness, aggressive panhandling and the open drug market by 50 per cent over the next three years.

Former B.C. attorney general Geoff Plant says he hopes to co-ordinate efforts to reduce crime on Vancouver's streets.
(CBC)

He told reporters Thursday that his role will be to co-ordinate resources aimed at reducing crime and increasing public safety.

"I see this role as much as anything a support role to the agencies and departments of government that have the fundamental responsibilities for administering justice policy, for administering law enforcement, for dealing with social issues," he said.

"But what I have seen throughout my life, in particular my life in politics, is that sometimes these different agencies don't talk to each other as often as they ought to."

Plant, a lawyer, was first elected as an MLA in Richmond in 1996. In 2001, he became attorney general and the minister responsible for treaty negotiations.

He did not run for re-election in 2005.

He recently completed a report for the provincial government, recommending that much more money be spent on post-secondary education in B.C.

Appointment praised, panned

Non-Partisan Association Coun. Kim Capri said Plant is uniquely qualified for his new role.

"From his experience as attorney general, he clearly has an understanding of the legal system; from his work as a civil servant, he understands community engagement and working with all parties.

"And I think this is really exciting, this is the day I've been waiting for so we can operationalize Civil City."

Opposition Vision Vancouver councillors say senior city staff are already paid to deal with the city's street crime problems, and that the appointment of a commissioner is a waste of taxpayers' money.

"I believe the job is the chief of police's job in combination with the legal department along with the city manager," said Coun. Raymond Louie.

"Why are we hiring this very expensive person to do work that could already be done more efficiently and cheaply within the existing system?"

The new commissioner has a budget of $300,000 a year. But Plant would not say how much he is being paid. Those details are still being worked out with his law firm, Heenan-Blaikie, and the city manager, he said.

However, he did say he will not be leaving the firm, that his new position with the city is a part-time job.