Vancouver council set to provide $2.8M funding boost for city’s mental health services
The City of Vancouver will be providing $2.8 million in funding to the local health authority to bolster the city’s mental health services, officials announced Sunday.
Mayor Ken Sim made the announcement at a news conference, saying most of the money will be used to hire 58 mental health workers and allow for the expansion of existing programs, including the VPD's Car87/88 program.
For decades, this service has responded to mental health calls by sending a two-person team pairing a police officer in plainclothes with a mental health professional from Vancouver Coastal Health.
“This investment, along with the funding allocation from council to hire the 100 police officers, will serve to bolster Vancouver’s frontline mental health and public safety response,” Sim said, adding that more funding will be made available in future years, eventually reaching a total of $8 million.
The mayor was joined by a number of provincial and city officials including Premier David Eby and Vancouver Police Department Chief Adam Palmer.
One of the key planks in Sim's platform was a promise to hire 100 new officers and 100 mental health nurses to expand partnerships between police and health-care workers to respond to mental health emergencies. Sim, who was elected several months ago, said he would make this happen on "day one."
Eby said he was in attendance to “recognize when a city steps up” to find ways to address complex issues.
“We want our communities to be safer and we want our communities to be healthier,” Ebay said. “People in our province and across North America have seen our streets change for the worse after the pandemic.”
VCH's Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Patricia Daly said the health authority will start recruiting once the funding is approved, with new staff expected to start work by the end of the calendar year. Despite staff shortages within the health sector, she said her team is confident of being able to fill the new positions.
“We have been successful in recruiting nurses and other mental health workers who are passionate about working in the downtown eastside and inner city and our team believes we can do that for this program as well,” she said.
Council is set to vote on amotion to approve the grant on Feb. 14.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
DEVELOPING Hamas accepts Gaza ceasefire proposal from Egypt and Qatar
Hamas said it has accepted a ceasefire deal proposed by Egypt and Qatar, which seeks to halt the seven-month war with Israel in Gaza, prompting Israel to say it would send a delegation to negotiate – though it warned the proposal remained far from the 'necessary requirements.'
An American soldier was arrested in Russia and accused of stealing, U.S. officials say
An American soldier has been arrested in Russia and accused of stealing, according to U.S. officials. The soldier was stationed in South Korea and was in the process of returning home to the United States, but travelled to Russia.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Competition Bureau launches inquiry into Lululemon over 'greenwashing' allegations
Canada's Competition Bureau has launched an inquiry into Vancouver-based Lululemon following a complaint from members of an environmental group.
NDP calls out Conservatives for effort to quash pharmacare legislation
The federal New Democrats are calling out Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his party for trying to block the bill that could pave the way for millions of Canadians to access birth control and diabetes coverage.
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc tabled legislation in the House of Commons on Monday proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada. Bill C-70 proposes to enact a new 'Foreign Influence Transparency and Accountability Act.'