Health Minister Terry Lake says he's prepared to help Vancouver police and the city deal with a mental-health crisis.
Police Chief Jim Chu announced yesterday that during the past three years St. Paul's Hospital has seen a 43 per cent increase in people with severe mental-health trouble or addiction, and about 21 per cent of police calls involve someone who is mentally ill.
Lake says other big cities such as Toronto have also seen an increase in violent behaviour and it may be linked to a condition of permanent brain damage or acquired brain injury brought on by methamphetamines and other designer drugs.
Lake says provincial government officials will meet with city officials on Monday
