The Vancouver Police Foundation is proud to announce an extraordinary $1 million gift from Peter Wall and Wall Financial Corporation to support the Vancouver Police Department’s (VPD) community safety and mental health initiatives in Vancouver. For 45 years, the VPF has supported VPD’s community building, crime prevention and public safety initiatives that fall outside of the city’s regular operating budget.
Recent crime statistics and concerns expressed by Vancouver residents demonstrate a real, urgent need for this gift. This tremendous donation will help to address pressing 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.
“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.” – Peter Wall
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.
“Our members have seen firsthand, the tremendous pressure that has developed over the past year on already stretched services for mental health, homelessness, and substance use,” said Chief Constable Adam Palmer, VPD.
While the VPD will continue to advocate for better support and resources for people in need, it is inspiring that civic-minded community members, like Peter Wall, are stepping up to provide support for our officers and for the city’s most vulnerable citizens.” – Chief Constable Adam Palmer
Now, more than ever, the VPD’s efforts to build bridges with the community and to work with key stakeholders to address major issues in Vancouver require the VPF’s help. Police officers regularly see gaps and needs in all of our city’s neighbourhoods. For nearly 45 years, officers have turned to the Foundation for help filling these gaps. The programs that are funded by the VPF, like the ones announced today, simply wouldn’t be possible without the incredibly generous support from our community and transformative gifts such as Peter Wall’s.
We are so grateful for Peter Wall’s generosity which will have a major impact on our city and thank him and the Wall Financial Corporation for their support.
An entrepreneur and philanthropist, Mr. Wall helped re-imagine and build Vancouver’s modern skyline, shaping many of its neighbourhoods while supporting some of the city’s — and British Columbia’s — key educational, arts and charitable institutions. He founded Wall Financial Corporation in 1969 and quickly emerged as one of British Columbia’s innovative business leaders and property developers.
Through his philanthropy, Mr. Wall also endowed The Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies at the University of British Columbia. Since its creation more than two decades ago, The Peter Wall Institute has supported more than 450 scholars — including Nobel laureate Michael Smith — to create an international network of interdisciplinary research.
The Vancouver Police Foundation supports programs and initiatives that fall under one of four pillars: Youth Programs, Mental Health & Addictions, Community Outreach & Engagement, and Technology & Special Equipment. You can help build a safer Vancouver by donating to the Vancouver Police Foundation.
