The B.C. Urban Mayors鈥� Caucus has issued a list of priorities for the David Eby government, with mental health, substance use and treatment topping the action areas.

Mayors from largest cities in B.C. hammered out a document with "a series of directions" they think the premier "could and should" deliver to his new cabinet through the upcoming mandate-letter process.

The caucus, led by the mayors of Victoria and Chilliwack, priorizes key actions along with realistic solutions to tackle some of the thorniest challenges facing the cities.

Marianne Alto, Mayor of Victoria and mayors' caucus co-chair noted in the Jan. 15 release that the mayors' caucus put a lot of thought into their recommended courses of action.

"We hope that Premier Eby will listen to the advice of local government. We want to work collaboratively with the Premier, and acting on these recommendations would be a positive first step.鈥�

The four action areas:

鈥� Mental Health & Substance Use and Treatment

鈥� Community Safety and Wellness

鈥� Affordable Housing

鈥� Transit and Transportation

This concerted push by the mayors with action items naming the things vexing municipalities, and recommended cabinet direction is coming ahead of the imminent release of the provincial ministerial mandate letters.

鈥淢andate letters are key for us in local government to understand what we can expect to see from the province over the next few years,鈥� said Ken Popove, Mayor of Chilliwack and caucus co-chair. "The list of priorities was created with help from urban mayors across B.C., and speaks to some of the big challenges that cities face."

The caucus co-chair said everyone is awaiting to see how the cabinet mandates will come down.

鈥淧remier Eby has said that he intends to do things differently this term, Alto said. "And while we have seen some changes, including changes to the municipal affairs portfolio, we are waiting for the release of the ministerial mandate letters to fully assess what these changes mean for local governments, and our ability to deliver on our residents鈥� priorities,鈥� said

Mandate letters cover the issues, objectives, and actions each minister will work towards during their time in office. The B.C. Cabinet, which was sworn in on Nov. 18, have been given appointment letters in the interim.

The caucus includes the mayors of: Abbotsford, Burnaby, Chilliwack, Coquitlam, Delta, Kamloops, Kelowna, Maple Ridge, Nanaimo, New Westminster, Prince George, Richmond, Saanich, 性视界传媒, Vancouver and Victoria. Together, they represent over 55 per cent of the province鈥檚 total population.

The caucus is asking for the mandate letters to do the following:

鈥� Direct the Minister of Health to engage directly with local governments to assess the need for substance use treatment and supports in each community, to improve local-government involvement in the creation of local-specific mental health supports.

鈥� Direct the Minister of Health to immediately expand access to detox beds, sobering beds, and stabilizing beds in communities across B.C.

鈥� Direct the Minister of Health to explore options for provincially-funded recovery

communities, and investment in a comprehensive range of recovery programs.

鈥� Direct the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, in collaboration with his colleagues, to establish shelter unit minimums for each community in B.C.

鈥� Direct the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to establish minimum care and operational standards for sheltering and supportive housing facilities, including their impact on neighbourhoods and neighbours.

鈥� Direct the Minister of Housing to reform BC Housing, including providing BC Housing with a new mandate that directly addresses the need for BC Housing to work more urgently with municipalities, and establishes BC Housing as the agency responsible for sheltering and supportive housing.

鈥� Direct the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General and the Minister of State for Community Safety to create funding and support for local governments that are creating or implementing community safety, wellbeing plans.

鈥� Direct the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General and the Minister of State for Community Safety to create a provincial urban downtown safety improvement plan.

鈥� Direct the Attorney General to act on bail reform, and immediately increase funding for provincial court services, to increase the speed and efficiency in which violent and repeat offenders can be processed through the court system.

鈥� Direct the Minister of Infrastructure to work with colleagues in the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs, the Minister of State for Local Governments and Rural Communities, and yourself, to build a municipal infrastructure funding program.

鈥� Direct the Ministers of Health, Social Development and Poverty Reduction, Housing and Municipal Affairs, and Solicitor General to work collaboratively to address poverty, encampments, community wellbeing, food security, the mental health and addictions crisis, and street disorder by establishing a cabinet roundtable, working group, or committee to address these challenges collectively.

鈥� Direct the Minister of Health to expand the PACT/CLCR programs and advance civilian-led mental health response programs throughout BC.

鈥� Direct the Minister of Finance to explore cannabis revenue sharing programs with local governments.

The caucus first came together in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and then was reconvened following the 2022 municipal elections, to act as a collective voice on critical issues facing their communities and urban British Columbia.