Torched homes, threats have Edmonton's South Asian business community on edge
Tensions are running high for business owners in Ed‐ monton after a series of targeted extortion attemp‐ ts and arsons to newly built and under-construction homes.
Police say members of the city's South Asian business community are being singled out by extortionists us‐ ing WhatsApp to de‐ mand large amounts of mon‐ ey from home builders and construction businesses.
When they don't pay up, show homes and new and un‐ der-construction builds have been torched, police say.
The fires have mostly been in suburban areas where many new homes are being built. In the deep southeast community of Aster alone, three homes burned down just weeks apart.
One business owner, Ravi Prakash, said there's a grow‐ ing sense of unease after months of hearing about threats and seeing houses go up in flames.
As of Sunday, Edmonton fire crews had been called to 11 fires at new or under con‐ struction homes since the be‐ ginning of November. Some fires caused damage to other nearby homes.
Arson has been deter‐ mined as the cause behind eight of the blazes, while three are still under investiga‐ tion.
"Everyone is feeling like, 'Who's next?'" Prakash said in an interview.
"People are in trauma. They are not able to under‐ stand how to react to this sit‐ uation."
Other business owners and community members contacted by CBC News said they aren't willing to speak publicly because of the fear of being targeted themselves.
Sources described com‐ munity members struggling through turmoil inflicted on their businesses and uncer‐ tainty about their personal safety.
There's been talk in the community about developers taking down logos and pulling back on advertising out of fear it's increasing the risk to their properties. Some sources said they have heard of business owners fleeing their own homes after receiv‐ ing threats.
"Our business community people, they are getting de‐ motivated," Prakash said.
"It takes years and years to establish those kind of companies. And one person, they decide one day that, 'Y‐ ou know what, let's get the money out of them.' How fair it is toward them?"
Sources said properties not related to South Asian businesses have also burned. An Edmonton police spokesperson said it hasn't been confirmed if groups out‐ side the South Asian commu‐ nity have been directly tar‐ geted.
Industry organizations haven't publicly addressed the issue.
The Edmonton Region Canadian Home Builders' As‐ sociation and the Edmonton
Metro chapter of the Urban Development Institute issued a statement to CBC.
"At this time we have made the joint decision not to speak publicly about this is‐ sue, relative to the nature of the ongoing investigations," the statement said.
Police looking at cases in B.C., Ontario
EPS announced charges this month against five young men and one youth in rela‐ tion to the extortion attemp‐ ts, arsons and drive-by shoot‐ ings. No injuries were re‐ ported as a result of the shootings.
But there have been more fires since — two homes in new communities in Edmon‐ ton's west and southwest burned less than a week later, and police are investigating possible links to the series of threats.
Police in B.C. and Ontario are investigating similar re‐ ported threats primarily tar‐ geting South Asian communi‐ ties. Just north of Toronto, Peel Regional Police recently set up a hotline for the task force handling what they call a "disturbing trend" of extor‐ tion attempts.
Surrey RCMP Cpl. Sarbjit Sangha told The Canadian
Press that extortion attempts involving people seeking "pro‐ tection money" from business owners are common in India, and police "believe that the same element has raised its head in Canada."
An EPS spokesperson told CBC News that the force is looking into whether threats reported here are related, and investigators are working with other police agencies.
Organized crime "is sus‐ pected to be a factor" in the Edmonton cases, according to EPS.
Rob Gordon, a professor emeritus of criminology at Simon Fraser University with expertise in gang violence, said police will need to collab‐ orate across jurisdictions as they seek information.
"The challenge is for the police to actually work with the communities to encour‐ age people to report, to come forward, and [for authorities] to express their willingness to prosecute," Gordon said.
In B.C., political leaders and police have addressed con‐ cerns from the South Asian business community at public forums. To date, Edmonton hasn't seen similar action.
A statement from Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said he's in touch with some business owners who reached out to him about the threats. Sohi said he shared their concerns with the city manager and EPS Chief Dale McFee.
"The mayor appreciates the collective efforts of fire rescue and EPS, and all busi‐ nesses in Edmonton deserve to conduct their business without fear and intimida‐ tion."
Arthur Green, press secre‐ tary for Public Safety and Emergency Services Minister Mike Ellis, said the Alberta government has "zero toler‐ ance" toward violent and or‐ ganized criminal activity.
"We will be monitoring this closely while EPS conducts their investigation."