No city can completely eliminate all risks to public safety and it’s not feasible to protect every event among thousands held each year, Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim said following the release of a public safety review prompted by the vehicle-ramming attack that killed 11 people at a street festival last spring.

Rather, he said there must be a “deep dive” to address mental health challenges that he described as the “root cause” of many public safety concerns in the city.

Sim said steps to protect public events and spaces won’t be effective without ensuring those suffering from mental health challenges get the care they need.

He said the city was “begging” the province to take action.

“And this is not a political statement,” he added. “It doesn’t matter who’s in office, you know, this is a p

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