National

B.C. promises $3M to expand program that partners cops with health-care providers

Darpan News Desk IANS, 17 Jul, 2023 12:33 PM

British Columbia is spending $3 million to expand a program that partners health-care workers with police to respond to mental-health-related calls.

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth says the program aim is to connect people in crisis to the appropriate services in their community and take pressure off stretched police resources.

Our government is taking action on the biggest challenges we face to keep people and communities healthy and thriving. pic.twitter.com/oYbhtyOlPy
— Mike Farnworth (@mikefarnworthbc) July 17, 2023

New teams are being funded for Abbotsford, Port Coquitlam/Coquitlam, Burnaby, Chilliwack, Penticton, Vernon, Squamish, Prince Rupert and the Westshore on southern Vancouver Island.

Similar programs already exist in 10 B.C. communities including Kamloops, Victoria, Surrey and Vancouver.

The government says one in five interactions with police in B.C. involve someone with a mental-health disorder.

Minister of Mental Health and Addiction Jennifer Whiteside did not provide a specific timeline for when the new programs would be running, but says she anticipates them in “fairly short order.”

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Explosive device deactivated in Kelowna, B.C.

A stretch of Highway 97N, also known as Harvey Avenue, was closed in both directions for more than seven hours on Monday as police waited for the disposal unit to arrive from the Lower Mainland. She says the device was not detonated, but was rendered safe by experts who know how to handle such explosives.

Explosive device deactivated in Kelowna, B.C.

Dental association releases paper on dental care

The Liberals said the benefit is intended to provide cost-of-living relief to low-income Canadians. The current benefit is available to families whose household income is less than $90,000 a year and ranges from $260 to $650 per child depending on net income.

Dental association releases paper on dental care

MPs summon Google CEO to testify on blocking news

The summons applies to CEO Sundar Pichai, as well as Kent Walker, president of global affairs, Richard Gingras, vice-president of news, and Sabrina Geremia, vice president and country manager for Google in Canada.

MPs summon Google CEO to testify on blocking news

B.C. finance minister to table her first budget

Conroy says the prospect of a multibillion-dollar surplus similar to last year's budget is not in the forecast. She says that almost $6-billion surplus was an anomaly that allowed the NDP government to announce numerous spending initiatives on health, affordability, infrastructure and housing.

B.C. finance minister to table her first budget

Snow delays, cancellations, on B.C. south coast

The North and West Vancouver school districts called a snow day for all public schools while Simon Fraser University cancelled morning classes at all its campuses and a statement from Vancouver International Airport says visibility and de-icing of aircraft have been affected by the unexpectedly heavy snowfall.

Snow delays, cancellations, on B.C. south coast

Vancouver police apologize after mistaken arrest

The suspect who police thought they were arresting was considered armed and dangerous, and potentially in possession of a firearm, so the department's emergency response team was deployed. Police say during the arrest officers shot the man with two rubber bullets.