MISSION, BC: Abbotsford–Mission MLA Reann Gasper is calling out the NDP government for ignoring community warnings and failing to act, after two suicide attempts occurred within 24 hours at the Mission Bridge earlier this month. The bridge remains completely unprotected—despite a formal request for safety barriers made by Mission City Council more than a year ago.
On June 13, a 15-year-old girl jumped from the bridge and was pulled from the Fraser River with non-life-threatening injuries. Just one day later, another youth was talked down from the same bridge by a concerned neighbour.
“How many more young people have to come to this bridge in crisis before the province takes this seriously?” said MLA Reann Gasper. “Despite repeated calls from the community, the NDP government has yet to install any suicide-prevention infrastructure. This is a preventable public safety failure, and the NDP government needs to fix it before another life is lost.”.
Critic for Mental Health and Addictions Claire Rattée added: “This is a mental health emergency. Mission still doesn’t have the capacity to meet the needs of people in crisis. Too often, they’re forced to go to Abbotsford, only to face waitlists of six to eight months, with more than 50 people ahead of them. We need physical barriers on the bridge, but we also need real mental health supports in the community.”
Critic for Transportation and Infrastructure Harman Bhangu stated: “There should be netting in place on the Mission Bridge, just like other high-risk bridges across North America, to save lives,” said Bhangu.
MLA Gasper has requested an urgent meeting with the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure and Minister of Health and is formally renewing calls for suicide-prevention.
“We can’t bring back the lives we’ve lost, but we can protect those still at risk of stepping onto Mission’s suicide bridge in crisis,” said Gasper.
“Time and again, this government has chosen inaction over compassion,” she added. “We are seeing a repeated lack of compassion for British Columbians in crisis. It’s unacceptable, and it needs to change now.”
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Francesca Guetchev, Communications Officer
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