More funding to community services!

In light of recent events in both the U.S. and as a First Nations individual, I believe it would be incredibly beneficial for our city to put more funding into community services. This includes affordable housing, easy access mental health services, homeless shelters, and others to support those in need. These services, additionally, should be culture-specific to provide the best support possible.

Many homeless people are racial minorities, and often are mentally unwell. Whenever I have seen someone in an episode of psychosis, there is nothing that can be done other than to call the police. Best case scenario, the police simply take the individual to Shepherd's Good Hope. While this shelter is an incredibly valuable resource, it is underfunded and often overcrowded. Often these people do not receive help for their conditions.

It's a disturbing trend nation-wide that police assault people in "wellness-checks". Police are not trained for these operations, therefore someone who is trained in the field of mental health should be employed instead.

Additionally, crime is more often than not, motivated by poverty. People cannot decide whether or not to need food, water, shelter. For more services available to the homeless, less crimes would be committed.

Thank you for considering my opinion.