ABC Vancouver’s campaign commitment in 2022 to hire 100 mental health nurses over its four-year term has reached 35 since Mayor Ken Sim’s administration took office two years ago.
A city staff report that goes before council Wednesday cited challenges with “hiring capacity and labour market availability” for not hiring more nurses.
The report also pointed out the goal to hire 100 nurses is no longer in play because of Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH)’s revised plan in 2023 to instead hire 58 mental health workers.
That number has since been reduced to 55.
The rationale for broadening the scope from strictly hiring nurses to mental health workers was explained in the report, noting the need to prioritize specific services for people with severe mental health issues.
That includes people who also use substances and are frequently unhoused or living in shelters, single-room occupancy hotels or supported housing.
“Given the demonstrated effectiveness of interdisciplinary teams in crisis response programs, VCH proposed that funding be directed to support a range of different types of mental health workers, including nurses, social workers, peers and others — rather than be solely directed to mental health nurses,” the report said.
Despite ABC Vancouver’s push to hire 100 nurses, council left VCH to decide who best to hire, how many people should be hired and where each mental health worker should be placed.
In doing so, council committed to an annual $8-million grant to VCH, beginning with a start-up budget in 2023 of $2.8 million.
The report stated VCH’s actual expenditure for 2023 was $617,836, leaving $2.1 million to be carried forward into 2024.
In February, VCH provided updated hiring projections and council approved a grant of $4.6 million for 2024, in addition to the 2023 unused funds.
This provided a $6.85-million budget for 2024.
The slow process in hiring all 58 workers isn't surprising, with Dr. Patricia Daly telling council in February 2023 that “it will take time to fill these positions."
“We do have a health human resource crisis in B.C., but we also have a very robust plan to address that put forward from [Health] Minister Adrian Dix," said Daly, VCH's chief medical health officer.
Car 87/88 program
As of Aug. 15, 2024, VCH filled the following positions:
• 14 full-time workers were hired for the mobile crisis de-escalation service; 18 positions still need to be filled.
• 10 workers were hired for the Vancouver Police Department’s Car 87/88 program.
• Two psychiatric nurses were hired for the VPD’s operations centre at the department’s precinct on Cambie Street; two more positions still need to be filled.
• Nine people were hired for the Indigenous crisis response team; the initial target of 12 workers was revised to nine “to provide more appropriately specialized services based on program modelling and assessed need.”
Meanwhile, ABC Vancouver’s promise to hire 100 new police officers over four years breaks down this way, according to information supplied Monday from the VPD:
• From October 2022 to end of August 2024, VPD hired 179 officers; 59 of those officers are currently in training at the JIBC Police Academy.
• During that same time frame, 112 officers left the VPD.
• In addition to those 179 newly hired officers, the VPD hired 151 Special Municipal Constables.
“These numbers fluctuate daily and weekly, depending on new hires, resignations and retirements,” said Sgt. Steve Addison, a media relations officer, in an email Monday.
Addison noted the data supplied to Glacier Media was last updated Sept. 26, 2024.
'Results speak for themselves'
After Sim and his ABC majority were elected in October 2022, the VPD’s authorized strength increased from 1,348 officers to 1,448.
Sim said in an email Monday that the 1,448 number actually increased in March, although he didn’t say by how much.
“The results speak for themselves — overall crime is down by 7.4 per cent, violent crime by seven per cent, property crime by 10.3 per cent and serious assaults by 17.8 per cent, thanks to the dedication of our officers and leadership within the VPD,” Sim said.
The mayor said addressing the root causes of crime such as mental health and addiction is crucial, noting the need for the 55 mental health workers.
He said the Car 87/88 program has doubled capacity, increasing referrals from housing and shelters by 46 per cent and to community services by 96 per cent. The Car 87/88 program pairs psychiatric nurses with non-uniformed police officers.
“We’ve also launched the Indigenous crisis response team, which offers a holistic, non-police crisis response,” Sim said. “These programs are making a real difference, but we know there’s more work to be done.”
Added Sim: “I’m incredibly proud of the progress we’ve made so far, and I’m optimistic that these initiatives can be expanded and replicated throughout the province and beyond. Public safety is a shared responsibility, and we will continue to work with our partners at every level to keep Vancouverites safe and ensure that everyone receives the care and support they deserve.”
