
A Nelson business owner said that the solutions proposed at the upcoming Save Our Streets (SOS) forum on Jan. 23 in Vancouver could help address issues affecting the city's downtown core.
Tayna Finley, owner of Finley's Bar and Grill and co-founder of the Neighbourhood Network, is attending the forum to advocate for change and reduce divisive rhetoric surrounding homelessness.
"As an SOS company representative, I've been asked to go down there," she said. "This isn't just a Vancouver problem, this is all across the province."
SOS, a 120-member coalition of community and business organizations from across B.C., has become the one of largest organizations of its kind, tackling crime, addiction and mental health issues.
The forum will follow a recent provincial survey conducted by Research Co., which included 800 participants, and found that 86 per cent of small businesses have concerns over the safety of their employees and customers.
SOS co-founder Jess Ketchum launched the initiative in his hometown of Quesnel to address customer safety concerns. He said that these problems aren't exclusive to larger to cities, and that places like Nelson could benefit from balanced discussions surrounding mental health and access to care.
"It's the first time that we know of where there's a forum of experts who are solution oriented, who are future oriented, and are coming up with recommendations for the government to solve some of these problems," said Ketchum.
"We hear about the problems all the time. We hear about the extent of the problems, but this is going to be a day for solutions."
According to a joint report from the BC Schizophrenia Society and the BC Psychiatric Association, there is a notable shortage of acute psychiatric beds in the province, which has increased pressure on emergency departments and led to inadequate care for individuals with severe mental illnesses.
"We're leaving them on the streets to commit crimes of survival, and we're not taking care of them."
The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) reports that the life time prevalence rate of substance use disorders in B.C. is 25.2 per cent, higher than the national average of 20.7 per cent.
Ketchum said that he met with Premier David Eby and other cabinet ministers about the need for measurable performance metrics to track the success of programs designed to help people struggling. A point he said will be discussed at the forum.
"He was willing to collaborate with us," he said. "We told him that we want to celebrate results, rather than just announcements."
Ketchum added that he is looking forward to hearing from a diverse group of people with high levels of experience bringing forward solutions.
"I think we have the government's attention."