Public safety top of mind

Kelowna’s mayor says announcements from the province and a mayoral coalition on public safety, mental health and addiction made for a “fantastic start” to a week of further advocacy at the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention.

Tom Dyas said this week, a delegation from the City of Kelowna was able to push for more tools to address crime and safety concerns — council’s top priority.

An announcement from Premier David Eby about the rollout of compulsory care and a subsequent call for bail reform from a coalition of B.C. mayors, including Dyas, set the stage.

“When we looked at what happened on Sunday and Monday, part of our hope for this whole week around the discussion on mental health and addictions was to even have a commitment that [the province] would look at those items,” Dyas said.

“To know that those two items were delivered one day before UBCM started and on the first day of UBCM, we're just so grateful. That was a fantastic start.”

The mayor said he knew they would need to look at further discussions around facilities that would be available for “compassionate mandatory care” in the Okanagan region.

“We pursued those discussions. We pursued them with the Attorney General, we pursued them with the premier. We pursued them with Minister [Jennifer] Whiteside’s staff,” Dyas said, referencing the ministry of mental health and addictions.

“They all heard that there potentially [are] facilities that could be available in the Okanagan.”

He said Okanagan mayors signed a letter months ago advocating for a facility similar to the Red Fish Healing Centre — which is designed to help people who have a mental illness and a substance use disorder.

"The alignment of those stars to a degree within those first two days — we’re very grateful for that. Now we're able to then take the conversations to the next level.”

Public safety a top issue

The delegation from Kelowna met with staff from the ministry of mental health and addictions to ask for a Red Fish Healing Centre model for compulsory care in the Okanagan.

They also asked for a shift in emphasis from a housing-first model to a focus on delivering healthcare in order to better address challenges seen on city streets.

Dyas also addressed this while taking part in a panel discussion about public safety, mental health and addictions. He spoke to impacts on public safety in Kelowna and urged for more involvement from health agencies.

“There are individuals who have health issues that we could build all the houses we wanted for — but they're not ready or positioned to be able to get themselves into that state of mind,” Dyas told Castanet.

“When we're seeing the repeat offenders, we're seeing the addictions, we're seeing all that, there needs to be a health element that is just as strong and walks alongside so that those individuals can get themselves to a point that when we build the housing, they're able to advance through there.”

Discussions around crime and safety also were front and centre during conversations with public safety minister and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth, and Attorney General Niki Sharma.

Dyas said the Kelowna delegation asked Sharma for five more Crown prosecutors, noting the impact that more staff would have when it comes to dealing with prolific offenders.

A meeting with Eby focused on the need for a regional approach for mandatory compassionate care, as well as provincial supports for infrastructure, transportation and economic development opportunities at YLW.

Transportation, infrastructure a focus

Dyas said the group from Kelowna met with Rob Fleming, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, to discuss the Clement Avenue and Highway 33 extension project, improvements to transit, and the need to advance infrastructure around the Kelowna International Airport.

He said they thanked Anne Kang, Minister of Municipal Affairs, for her work with the city, and provided an update on the Glenmore Ellison Improvement District water utility transition — which Dyas noted was moving along “extremely smoothly.”

The City of Kelowna also received an award for asset management from UBCM.

The city has implemented a digital system to manage and maintain water, wastewater, transportation, recreation and community infrastructure.

Dyas said it was rewarding and comforting to be recognized for asset management.

“[It’s] comforting knowing that when we're looking at advancing budgets, when we're looking at advancing capital plans, that they're thorough, that they're reviewed by our peers, and seen as award winning,” he said.

According to the city, the digital system is used by more than 700 staff to motion more than 30,000 infrastructure assets worth more than $7 billion.

“It's an advancement of, how do we make certain that we continue to bring new assets, new infrastructure to our community and make certain that what we have is solid.”