A provide-wide call to tackle public safety and the mental health and addictions crisis is about 乌鸦传媒渆xtending a hand and helping make a difference乌鸦传媒� says Kelowna乌鸦传媒檚 mayor.
Tom Dyas joined mayors from 10 other municipalities, and representatives from Lower Mainland First Nations and law enforcement groups in Vancouver on Monday (Sept. 16) demanding action from the federal government.
The coalition has three priorities, including provincial mandatory care with federal support.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 not about restricting their freedoms,乌鸦传媒� Dyas said in an interview with Black Press Media. 乌鸦传媒淭here are many individuals within our community who are fighting battles with mental health and addictions without enough care for them to be treated properly.乌鸦传媒�
On Sept. 15, Premier David Eby announced the NDP will open facilities (over 400 beds) to provide involuntary care under the Mental Health Act for those with severe addictions who are mentally ill and have sustained a brain injury.
Dyas noted the province needs substantially more beds.
乌鸦传媒淥ur region alone could probably use about half of that,乌鸦传媒� he said.
Eby announced that the first site will open at the Alouette Correctional Centre in Maple Ridge, and there are plans to expand throughout the province. Dyas said there is a correctional facility in the Okanagan that might be suitable.
乌鸦传媒淭hat乌鸦传媒檚 probably going to be an ask for us moving forward into discussions,乌鸦传媒� he added.
The coalition also asked for bail reform in dealing with repeat property crime offenders.
乌鸦传媒淲e have substantial occurrences of that in our community,乌鸦传媒� Dyas said, referring to the 20 offenders responsible for more than 3,500 RCMP files in Kelowna. 乌鸦传媒淲e know these are unsheltered individuals.乌鸦传媒�
The mayor added there may be options to combine bail reform and involuntary care.
乌鸦传媒淧otentially乌鸦传媒o see if these same individuals are in need of the care we乌鸦传媒檙e speaking of in the first priority.乌鸦传媒�
Dyas said municipalities are limited in what they can do to address individuals suffering from mental health and substance issues and pointed out that senior government needs to do its part.
乌鸦传媒淭hat is the Mental Health Act provincially, and federally legislation that changes the laws around repeated offenders乌鸦传媒o the RCMP can deal with them appropriately and it乌鸦传媒檚 not a continual hamster wheel with them going into court and the court putting them back on our streets.乌鸦传媒�
The third priority for the coalition calls for a federal plan to secure B.C. ports to stop the flow of illicit drugs from and the export of stolen vehicles.
The mayor is meeting with Eby and speaking on a panel addressing the coalition's concerns at the Union of BC Municipalities Convention in Vancouver on Sept. 17.
