BC Conservatives pledge to end open drug use, back police role in treatment referrals

The BC Conservatives have committed to ending open drug use, widening access to mental health care and empowering police to enforce the Mental Health Act so people can be connected with mandatory treatment, Global News BC reported.

Why it matters

The pledges touch on street-level drug use, mental health services and the role of police, all of which affect how Vancouver and other Metro Vancouver communities approach public safety. Readers can weigh them against the party's full platform as more detail emerges.

What we know

• The BC Conservatives pledged to end open drug use.
• The party also pledged to improve access to mental health care.
• It said police would be empowered to enforce the Mental Health Act, with the aim of connecting people to mandatory treatment.
• The commitments were outlined in Global News BC's article on how the party plans to tackle crime and public safety.

What happens next

Further detail on how the party would carry out these commitments would come from the BC Conservatives themselves.