Several packages that caused the evacuation of the Vanderhoof Canada Post office last month included statements targeting school district employees, according to police.
The packages reported on Feb. 28 were found to contain a non-toxic substance, as well as threatening statements targeting specific school district employees, Vanderhoof RCMP said in a March 11 statement.
The threatening letters were confirmed to be addressed to teachers at Evelyn Dickson Elementary School in a statement on March 13 from Vanderhoof Mayor Kevin Moutray.
“These attacks must stop the first one was one too many,” said Moutray, calling the actions “disgusting” and a “black eye on Vanderhoof.”
The letters referred to B.C.’s Expect Respect & a Safe Education (ERASE) policy but were specifically directed towards the diversity and inclusion guidelines, RCMP said.
School District 91’s Board of Education responded to the incident, also condemning the "ongoing threats and acts of intimidation" targeting staff in a statement March 12.
“These acts are driven by a false sense of superiority and have no place in our town or any society,” said David Christie, Board of Education chair, in the statement.
“Vanderhoof is a great place to live and work, and these behaviours do not reflect this community.”
Disturbing letters also targeted teachers and staff at Evelyn Dickson Elementary School in November, however police have not said if the letters are from the same source.
The North District General Investigations Section is now leading the investigation and is looking for any information that could help identify a suspect.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Vanderhoof RCMP at 250-567-2222.
Vanderhoof has been the site of other anti-LGBTQ2S+ incidents resulting in RCMP investigations.
In June of 2024, RCMP in Vanderhoof sought the public's help in locating a person caught on a security camera vandalizing Pride flags in the community's downtown.
In October of 2024, a rainbow crosswalk was vandalized on election day in downtown Vanderhoof with tire marks and spray paint with the words "save the kids" and "speak truth."
