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Thanks for reading The Tyee today — we hope this article added to your day in some way. Our team of independent journalists takes pride in doing in-depth reporting and taking time to get it right.

We're able to focus our attention on publishing impactful journalism in the public interest, and publish it for free for all to read, because we have the support of Tyee Builders. Tyee Builders are readers who contribute a bit of money — at a level and frequency of their choice — to support our editorial budget.

This core of supporters — making up about 1 to 2 per cent of our daily readership — enables us to pay our writers, keep our articles free and open to all, and not bombard our readers with annoying ads while you try to read.

Instead of focusing on what kind of articles will attract the most advertising dollars, we can spend time devoted to researching and writing stories that our readers find most valuable and make the most positive impact in our region.

If you'd like to join thousands of readers who help make independent journalism possible, consider joining Tyee Builders. Thank you.

— Jeanette Ageson, Publisher

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Help us un-break journalism in Canada

You made it all the way through the article – I hope that means you liked it (or if not ‘liked’ it, gleaned some useful information from it). Tyee articles are known for being quite lengthy, so we appreciate when people spend some quality time with our work.

Listen, I’ll get to the point – the article you just read was made possible because our non-profit newsroom was able to pay a talented journalist to research and write it. And we can only afford to do that because of our business model, which relies on a certain percentage of our readers signing up for our paid membership program called Tyee Builders.

The traditional business model for journalism in Canada has been completely disrupted, and we’re witnessing a slow collapse as corporate newsrooms buy up distressed publications, lay people off, and suck the value out of them before declaring bankruptcy. And it doesn’t help that tech giant Meta has blocked Canadian news on their Facebook and Instagram platforms.

There is another way and we are carving the path.

Between 1 to 2 per cent of people who visit The Tyee contribute financially, but amazingly, that small percentage is enough to fund half of our overall budget. And it means we can operate without a paywall, too. 1 per cent of people giving means 99 per cent of people get access to quality, fact-based journalism from a talented team of journalists who live and work in B.C., Alberta, and across Canada. We think that’s pretty remarkable.

If you’re concerned about the way journalism is heading in Canada and you’d like to do something about it, consider joining Tyee Builders and contributing an amount that works for you.

— Jeanette Ageson, Publisher

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Welcome to Tyee’s reader poll.

Tyee Poll: Should BC’s New Mental Health and Addictions Ministry Take Earlier Action to Help People in Crisis?

There is a clear opportunity sitting in front of all of us. If, together, we take the bold steps needed to improve mental health in our province, we can improve the lives of thousands of people across British Columbia.

It is time to focus on prevention, early identification and early intervention. We currently pay for a system of care in the most expensive ways possible. People wait too long for care and too many people get their care from emergency departments and from police.

We can offer proven choices and supports to help people recover — clinical services, medications, peer supports, counselling, family supports, and other therapies — and keep people connected to their families and their communities. Intervening as early as possible preserves a person’s education, employment, social supports, housing — and it also costs less than the tragic revolving door of incarceration, hospitalization, and homelessness.

The Canadian Mental Health Association BC is calling for community organizations, academic institutions, professional associations, labour organizations, elected officials and business leaders to value mental health and addiction care equally to physical health care. Help CMHA advocate for a system of care in B.C. that gives parity to mental health with physical health. Sign the b4stage4 declaration.

Do you have more to say? Take 5 minutes to add your voice to CMHA’s Help Shape the Future survey that will help decision-makers understand what British Columbians see as the best ways to intervene earlier for mental health and substance use problems. Our new government promises to “put people at the centre of their decision-making.” Your responses to this short survey will help them fulfill that promise.

* Please note that all poll answers will be publicly viewable, but anonymous.

Fill out this week's poll.

Please note that Tyee Barometer polls are only intended as a quick and engaging non-scientific snapshot of our readers' opinions on various topics that fit with The Tyee's very broad editorial mandate. They are not intended to be seen as a representative sampling of BC opinion.

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