Mayor Akbal Mund and Councillor Juliette Cunningham met today with Judy Darcy, Minister of the new Mental Health and Addictions Ministry at the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) in Vancouver.
Council representatives presented the issues of mental health and addictions, in particular, the opioid crisis which is impacting the City of Vernon.
Minister Darcy was advised that there is a correlation between these issues and the growth in the City of Vernon homeless population.
Council’s hope is that there be a better integration between Ministries dealing with the issues of housing, mental health, addictions and poverty.