RICHMOND — The City of Richmond says it will challenge an order by B.C.’s privacy watchdog to remove high-definition surveillance cameras at an intersection on the grounds the city lacked authorization to gather private information.

It says it has “clearly stated” to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of B.C. that its public safety camera program is “lawful” and it’s now “positioned to have the legality” of its program determined by the courts.

Commissioner Michael Harvey this week ordered the city to get rid of the cameras at the intersection of Minoru Boulevard and Granville Avenue after an investigation report concluded the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act didn’t grant the city legal authority to use them.

Richmond Coun. Kash Heed says the removal order shows the privacy commissioner and legislation in B.C. are “out of touch” with society and policing, with the commissioner “buried back in the traditional era.”

The cameras were installed last February as part of a test surveillance project to collect footage of individuals, license plates, and vehicle features that could be provided to the RCMP to help identifying criminal suspects.

Harvey said in a news release that there are situations that can justify the use of surveillance, but it must be Limited and proportional.

He said advanced features of Richmond’s surveillance, such as facial recognition technology, go over and above what is reasonable and raise the potential for scope creep, where technology installed for one purpose is later used for other purposes.

But Heed said in an interview that the cameras don’t have functions of facial recognition and their uses was “strictly Limited” to law enforcement.

Video footage was only retrievable through a court order, which ensured “tightly controlled and legally justified” access, he said.

Heed said public safety was paramount, and the technology could benefit other jurisdictions, such as Surrey, which has seen a rise in extortion cases targeting the South Asian community.

Heed said the city will be asking for a judicial review of the take-down order.

“We, as a local government, have the ability to challenge it, and we will challenge it,” said Heed.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 16, 2026.

Nono Shen, The Canadian Press