Eight months after 15-year-old Chase De Balinhard was shot and killed by RCMP officers in Surrey, B.C.’s public safety minister has confirmed a coroner’s inquest will be held into his death—but only after the province’s police watchdog completes its investigation. The confirmation offers some relief to the autistic teenager’s family, who still likely face a years-long process of getting answers. ‘We are committed to a robust process’ When asked why she hasn’t ordered an inquest yet, Public Safety Minister Nina Krieger told CTV News she wants to allow the Independent Investigations Office (IIO) to finish its review first. “After the investigation is complete the coroner will be ordering an inquest, because this death happened in police custody,” Krieger said. While addressing the family’s calls for an inquest previously, Krieger’s office has cited Section 18 of B.C.’s Coroners Act, which automatically requires an inquest when someone dies while detained or in custody. Legal experts say that clause doesn’t apply to Chase’s case, because he was not detained when officers opened fire. They argue the minister still has the discretionary power to order an inquest now, even while the IIO’s work is ongoing. Krieger said the government is “committed to a robust process” that will help the family get the answers they seek. “Chase’s death is a tragedy,” she said. “I had the opportunity to connect with Chase’s mother, and heard not only about the close friendships he had, but his impact on his entire community.” Local MLA calls delay ‘disheartening’ Surrey-Cloverdale MLA Elenore Sturko, who represents the De Balinhard family’s riding in the legislature, says the province could act now but hasn’t. “There is no reason for the government to wait,” she said. “If they believe this is in the public interest—and I believe it is—they can call a coroner’s inquest.” She added: “I just can’t imagine what Chase’s parents are going through—looking for certainty, looking for direction—and to have such a lack of commitment from the government must be incredibly disheartening. The minister is being absolutely weak and should make that commitment to finding answers for this family and for our community.” Who can trigger a coroner’s inquest Former solicitor general and West Vancouver police chief Kash Heed previously told CTV News that the government does have the authority to act before the watchdog process is complete—pointing to the 2008 death of Lisa Dudley in Mission, after which he exercised ministerial powers to order an inquest while criminal proceedings were still underway.Heed said he doesn’t want to see the De Balinhard family endure years of uncertainty while waiting for answers. The B.C. Coroners Service says its investigation into Chase’s death is still open, and no decision about an inquest has been made. “An inquest is generally directed for police-involved deaths because most meet the criteria for a mandatory inquest or are directed under the discretionary provisions of the Coroners Act,” wrote a spokesperson from the BCCS in an email to CTV News.“Once the investigation by the IIO and the coroner’s investigation have concluded, the Chief Coroner will review the matter to determine if an inquest is required. Decisions to hold an inquest are not publicly announced until an investigation is complete and a date is scheduled.” Family says uncertainty adds to their pain Chase’s parents, Crystal and Rick De Balinhard, have been calling for a coroner’s inquest since February, saying the process could reveal what went wrong and prevent similar tragedies involving neurodivergent youth. “There’s nothing that can bring my son back, nothing at all,” Crystal De Balinhard previously told CTV News. “But we can learn from this. We can grow if we can teach peace officers how to interact with neurodiverse individuals. That would be amazing.” Chaseleft his family’s Surrey home on Feb. 9 carrying an unloaded pellet gun without their knowledge. Roughly 20 minutes later, RCMP responded to a report of a person in distress near 70 Avenue and 185 Street. According to the IIO, there was an interaction between officers and the teen before police opened fire. Chase was pronounced dead at the scene. The De Balinhards suspect Chase—who the parents say functioned developmentally closer to a 10-year-old—may have taken the pellet gun outside to record a video. They say he could not fully grasp how others might perceive it as a threat. Chase did have the mental capacity to go for walks safely on his own, and would frequently venture to a nearby park without incident. Autism-training consultation followed media scrutiny Krieger also confirmed that the province’s updated autism-specific police-training curriculum is still on track to launch this fall. But questions remain about how the update was developed, and who was involved. Last month, CTV News revealed that none of the major autism advocacy groups in B.C. had been consulted on the new curriculum, even though it focuses on how police interact with autistic and neurodivergent people.After CTV News asked the minister’s office why those groups were excluded, AutismBC and Autism Community Training (ACT) contacted the ministry directly.It was only then that the groups were formally invited to contribute their expertise. In her latest interview, Krieger said their input is now being incorporated.“So the renewal of the curriculum has taken place over some time, and I’ve made sure that input from those associations are included to inform updates to the curriculum that will enhance ability of officers to respond to people that may be on the autism spectrum,” she said. AutismBC confirmed it has met with staff from Krieger’s office several times following CTV News’ investigation and said it’s hopeful that their input will be reflected in the updated training. “It was really important to have lived experience at the table to shape what that curriculum could look like,” said autism advocate Suzanne Perreault. Crystal De Balinhard called the change bittersweet.“It’s sad that it took Chase’s death for Autism BC to be invited to the table,” she said. “Before the CTV News investigation, I don’t believe autism agencies were involved at all. How can you train police about neurodivergent people if no one with autism experience is part of it?” Perreault said she remains hopeful for positive improvements.“Whenever we take steps forward, I’m always hopeful that change will occur—and that we’ll see growth and understanding in how police interact with the neurodivergent community,” she said. Crystal added that “if something good can come from Chase’s tragedy, then it’s a win.” “The fact Autism BC was invited to sit at the table is a huge win for the autism community and for us,” she added. She also expressed gratitude for those who helped spark change. “I want to thank Nina Krieger, Autism BC, and CTV News, because without all of you and public outcry, we wouldn’t be having this change,” she said. “My son, our boy Chase, would be so happy that the world is changing for the better.” Autism advocates say they hope the province’s commitment translates into meaningful change in how officers are trained to recognize and support neurodivergent individuals. This story is part of CTV News’ ongoing investigation into the death of Chase De Balinhard and calls for accountability and reform in police oversight and training across B.C. Follow all the coverage here.
