New community-led program to help those experiencing crisis in Kelowna

Published 10:03 am Friday, November 14, 2025

A new community-led program to help those experiencing a mental-health or subtstance-abuse crisis will begin in Kelowna in the near-future.

At a press conference on Thursday, Nov. 13, the city announced Crisis Response Community Led (CRCL, pronounced “circle”) Kelowna, which will support residents ages 13 and older who are experiencing a mental-health or substance-use crisis, which might include thoughts of suicide or self-harm, feelings of grief, panic or anxiety, and/or acting or feeling in ways that are distressing.

“We are absolutely thrilled that Kelowna will be the next community in British Columbia to implement this inivative model, and we look forward to working with our partners, our service providers and our residents to ensure success,” City of Kelowna public safety and policing policy director Darren Caul said.

The CRCL Kelowna staff will be made up of skilled mental health professionals and people with lived experience who are trained in providing trauma-informed, culturally safe crisis support. A mobile response unit will meet people where they are, including supporting those experiencing homelessness.

“The launch of the non-police crisis response teams will make a real difference in Kelowna by providing timely support for people in distress while reducing pressure on emergency services,” Secretary of State (Defence Procurement) and Kelowna MP Stephen Fuhr said.

According to the Canadian Mental Health Association website, Kelowna became the seventh city to bring in the CRCL program, joining North and West Vancouver, Victoria, New Westminster, Prince George and Comox Valley. The program is expected to start in Kamloops soon as well.

“For a long, long time, we’ve expected our police, first responders to step up into every situation no matter the nature of the call,” Fuhr added. “They do outstanding work but we all know that not every crisis fits traditional emergency response models. This new apporach is about matching people with the help they need and when they need it.”

CRCL will help those experiencing a crisis while allowing the Kelowna RCMP to respond to other calls, unless the scene is a medical emergency or there is immediate danger to life (for the person in crisis or others), such as in the case of an overdose or an active suicide. Those calls should still be made to 911.

“Our officers respond to a high volume of mental health-related calls and they do outstanding work everyday in situations that are often complex and unpredictable,” said Kelowna RCMP officer in charge Supt. Chris Goebel, who added this initiative has been successful in other communities. “This program gives us another option for supporting mental health calls where a healthcare response is more appropriate.”

Included in CRCL services are safety planning, acute crisis management, advocacy and referrals to mental-health services and supports, wound care, distribution of food, clothing and other supplies, as well as crisis follow-up.

And for the city, this program completes Action 1.2 of the Community Safety Plan.

“Addressing crime and improving community safety takes collaboration across all levels of government and a comprehensive approach that brings different solutions together,” Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas said. “The CRCL service ensures people in crisis receive compassionate, community-based support, while enabling police to focus more on crime and safety-related calls. Public safety is a priority for the people of Kelowna and this Council, and programs like this help create a safer, more responsive community for everyone.”

The program was made possible through collaborative investments by the Government of Canada through Health Canada and the Emergency Treatment Fund, the Province of BC, and the City of Kelowna. Fuhr confirmed on Thursday that the federal government committed $1.5 million to the program.

The initiative will begin sometime in December or January.