Surveillance cameras to keep an eye on downtown Calgary

A Calgary council committee has approved a pilot project to install a network of surveillance cameras in the downtown core.

The 24 cameras would be located in various locations in a two-kilometre radius around city hall, including the East Village and Olympic Plaza, which are some of Calgary's highest crime areas.

Ald. Ric McIver, who is championing the cause, said Wednesday that the one-year project could help deter crime.

"If this helps with those social behaviour issues the people that are making people uncomfortable by roughhousing on the LRT platforms [and] other places, making people feel uncomfortable with poor behaviour if the cameras can help solve that, they will help stop higher-level crimes."

Ald. Brian Pincott, the only councillor on the community and protective services committee to vote against the cameras, said the project seems to be more about spying on people, especially those who are homeless, rather than trying to prevent crime.

"This is not giving us a tradeoff public safety versus public privacy it's social behaviours against public privacy, and on this case I have to fall on the side of privacy," he said.

The $500,000plan must still be approved bycity council.