Alina Durham has finally seen a positive step forward in her attempt to get a missing-adult alert in place.

The Chilliwack mother has been advocating for the alert for nearly four years, after her daughter went missing in 2021 and was found dead four months later.

She has contacted various MLAs, MPs, provincial and federal ministries, RCMP departments and others over the years. Most recently, she sent an email to Garry Begg, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General.

"We are pleased to share that RCMP are actively working on the development of a Public Assistance Alert system in B.C.," the Policing and Security Branch with the Ministry of Public Safety wrote in a letter to Durham on May 12.

It is the first time she's gotten word that something is actually being done.

鈥淚 was very happy when I received the response. This is a step in the right direction,鈥� she said.

The initiative is focused on "adults or children who go missing and may be vulnerable due to cognitive impairment or other health-related concerns," the ministry added.

They called it a "major step forward" in enhancing the province's response to missing-person cases.

The Public Assistance Alert is still in the planning/discussion phase and there is a lot of work to be done yet, according to Sgt. Janelle Bal with RCMP's BC Police Missing Persons Centre.

Since it's in the early stages, the specific criteria are still in the works.

But, Durham said even if the new alert is more like a silver alert it's still a start. 

Silver alerts are activated when a vulnerable person, such as someone with dementia, autism or cognitive issues goes missing. Currently, there is no provincial silver alert in B.C., only a citizen-led effort called BC Silver Alert where volunteers alert the public and media of missing vulnerable people.

One RCMP officer who Durham has been in communication with for years noted Durham's tireless efforts to get a missing-adult alert in place.

"She said to me, 'Because you pushed and pushed and pushed, it has finally come here (to the BC Police Missing Persons Centre),'鈥� Durham said.

The Chilliwack Progress has reached out to RCMP for further comment.