ana ▁this ▁initi ative ▁has ▁been ▁sharp ly ▁critic ized . ▁ ▁, ▁V ancouver ▁had ▁the ▁nin th - high est ▁crime ▁rate , ▁dro pping ▁ 5 ▁sp ots ▁since ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁among ▁Canada ' s ▁ 3 5 ▁census ▁metropol itan ▁areas . ▁However , ▁as ▁with ▁other ▁Canadian ▁cities , ▁the ▁overall ▁crime ▁rate ▁has ▁been ▁falling ▁" d ram atically ". ▁The ▁rate ▁of ▁fire arm ▁related ▁violence ▁dropped ▁from ▁ 4 5 . 3 ▁per ▁ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁the ▁highest ▁of ▁any ▁major ▁metropol itan ▁region ▁in ▁Canada ▁at ▁that ▁time , ▁to ▁ 1 6 . 2 ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁A ▁series ▁of ▁gang - related ▁inc idents ▁in ▁early ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁es cal ated ▁into ▁what ▁police ▁have ▁dub bed ▁a ▁gang ▁war . ▁V ancouver ▁plays ▁host ▁to ▁special ▁events ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁Asia - P ac ific ▁Econom ic ▁Co operation ▁conference , ▁the ▁Cl inton - Y el ts in ▁Sum mit , ▁or ▁the ▁Sym phony ▁of ▁Fire ▁fire works ▁show ▁that ▁require ▁significant ▁polic ing . ▁The ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁Stanley ▁Cup ▁ri ot ▁over wh el med ▁police ▁and ▁injured ▁as ▁many ▁as ▁ 2 0 0 ▁people . ▁A ▁second ▁ri ot ▁took ▁place ▁following ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁Stanley ▁Cup ▁Final s . ▁ ▁Many ▁streets ▁in ▁Dow nt own