A Kamloops councillor says things are getting better along Victoria Street west as far as crime is concerned but he wants more mental health supports from the province.

Mike O’Reilly says another Car 40 is needed in Kamloops and he’s putting the blame on the lack of movement directly on the Interior Health Authority.

“Right now, Car 40 operates 8-to-5 and that’s not necessarily when mental health crises happen, they happen around the clock,” he said.

“The City of Kamloops, the RCMP, we are at the table, we are ready to fund the car. The only player who is not at the table is Interior Health. They are the only entity that is holding this up.”

Speaking on the NL Morning News, O’Reilly says he wonders if Interior Health simply isn’t interested in helping.

“In respect that there may not have been much of an appetite to talk about it. We have the appetite to talk about it. They might not want to fund it, we want it funded,” he noted.

“We are now officially putting that ask out and with all respect to them not wanting to fund it or saying that it’s not being used enough, we want more. We need another Car 40 in Kamloops and we will not stop asking for that and the majority, if not all of council are on the exact same boat.”

O’Reilly also noted that this is a problem that has gone on far too long and businesses and residents are bearing the brunt of the lack of mental health services in Kamloops.