By DESIBUZZCanada Staff

Vancouver businessman Peter Wall and his Wall Financial Corporation along with the Vancouver Police Foundation (VPF) announced a $1 million gift to support the Vancouver Police Department's (VPD) community safety and mental health initiatives in Vancouver. Recent crime statistics and concerns expressed by Vancouver residents demonstrate a real, urgent need for this gift. This significant gift by Peter Wall will help to address urgent needs in the community by creating two funds to be held at the VPF - the Peter Wall Community Safety Enhancement Initiative and the Peter Wall Community Policing Emerging Needs Fund. The Peter Wall Community Safety Enhancement Initiative will provide $100,000 annually to support VPD community-based mental health and addictions initiatives that provide additional support and resources to front-line VPD officers and individuals experiencing crisis in Vancouver. Other programs to address these issues that have been funded by the VPF in the past include the St. Paul's HUB and other proactive initiatives to get people in crisis the support they need. The Peter Wall Community Policing Emerging Needs Fund will provide $100,000 per year to be shared equally by five Community Policing Centres: Granville-Downtown South, West End-Coal Harbour, Strathcona, Chinatown and the Aboriginal CPC located at 1719 Franklin Street. "My entire life I've enjoyed the stability, hospitality, opportunity and rewards that living in Vancouver, our beautiful city by the sea has provided," said Peter Wall. "Now, more than ever, Vancouver needs an investment that will ensure that our community can continue to be a vibrant place for people and businesses to thrive. I can think of no better time to launch this initiative that will simultaneously support mental health and community safety." The funds for 2021 are available now and are expected to be distributed in the coming weeks as appropriate community safety enhancement and community policing emerging needs initiatives are identified.