Advertisement

Closing Riverview in 2012 was a ‘mistake’, former attorney general tells safety forum

Click to play video: 'Forum on public safety hears about possible solutions'
Forum on public safety hears about possible solutions
A one-day forum into the province-wide concerns about public safety has been heard from a multitude of experts, many coming to the same conclusion. Alissa Thibault reports – Jan 23, 2025

A one-day event addressing provincewide public safety concerns was held in Vancouver on Thursday.

Organized by Save Our Streets (SOS), a coalition of businesses and community groups, the Communities Driving Change forum features panels consisting of experts on policy, housing and addiction.

Many incidents of random street violence in Vancouver have been tied to mental health issues, Vancouver police chief Adam Palmer told the forum.

Click to play video: 'Save Our Streets: Communities Driving Change Forum'
Save Our Streets: Communities Driving Change Forum

“If somebody is that severely addicted or mentally ill, this is where I agree with the idea of secure mandatory care,” Palmer said. “There’s compassionate care, many other names, but there are some people that are not safe for us, or for themselves to be in community and that’s not compassionate society, that’s not a safe society.”

Story continues below advertisement

One of the topics raised at the event on Thursday was the 2012 closure of Riverview Hospital.

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Former B.C. Attorney General Wally Oppal said that in retrospect, it was the wrong decision.

“There was a thinking at the time, I guess, that the best way to treat people was in the community,” he said.

“The problem is, the community suffered by virtue of the experiment, and I call it an experiment at the time, the shutdown of Riverview. I think with 2020 hindsight, it was a mistake.”

Click to play video: 'Should Riverview Hospital be reopened?'
Should Riverview Hospital be reopened?

SOS said the issues it raised when the group formed in 2023 have yet to be addressed by the province.

“It feels like there’s a bit of classism that we’re allowing this permissive environment, repeat chronic offenders with violent histories to continue to impact the safety in our communities,” Clint Mahlman, co-founder of SOS and president and CEO of London Drugs told Global News.

Story continues below advertisement

“For us, it’s about protecting our employees, service workers, and ensuring our business community and organizations thrive throughout the province.”

The issues raised in 2023 included drug addictions and the drug trade, mental health challenges, law enforcement, judicial reform and homelessness.

Speakers at the forum included Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim, B.C.’s Minister of State on Community Safety Terry Yung and BC  Conservative leader John Rustad.

“The time for talk is over,” Mahlam added. “We need governments to take the responsibility and accountability seriously and act change now.”

Sim made a big announcement at the event, saying the City of Vancouver will not approve any new construction of new supportive housing units as it works to transform the Downtown Eastside (DTES).

“The Downtown Eastside reflects our city’s resilience, but also its struggles,” Sim said. “For too long, hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent without delivering meaningful change. It’s time for a new direction — one that prioritizes recovery, inclusivity, and public safety while integrating the DTES into the broader Vancouver community.”

In what Sim called a pivotal moment in the city’s approach to addressing addiction, crime and housing challenges in the DTES, he outlined three proposed policy shifts.

These included updating the DTES Area Plan, cracking down on gangs and street crime and pausing the construction of any net new supportive housing in the area.

Advertisement

Sponsored content

AdChoices