Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim has launched a new fund to support the mental health of firefighters — and for the first time, the city will accept donations in bitcoin.
The initiative was announced at a fundraiser hosted by the Vancouver Firefighter Charities on September 13, and aims to address the growing mental health issues faced by frontline emergency workers.
According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, suicide rates among firefighters are 30% higher than the general public due to trauma and stress on the job.
“Any funding and awareness going towards delivering more mental health support for firefighters who are struggling is greatly appreciated and necessary now more than ever before,” said Eric Himmelman, executive director of the Vancouver Firefighter Charities.
His organization will oversee the fund and make sure the money is used wisely.
The fund will accept both cash and digital assets, especially bitcoin. So far, donors have reportedly pledged 3.5 BTC, worth around C$550,000. These will be added to the C$2.7 million raised at last week’s firefighter fundraiser.
Vancouver is open to experimenting with digital assets in charitable giving. City officials think accepting BTC donations will attract a new class of donors who prefer to give in digital assets.
While the digital asset markets are volatile, Mayor Sim is a big fan of Bitcoin. He said he believes that supporting Bitcoin is non-negotiable for him.
Related: Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim Proposes Adding Bitcoin to City’s Reserves
This isn’t the first time Mayor Sim has connected the city with the scarce digital asset. In 2024, he introduced a motion called “Preserving the City’s Purchasing Power Through Diversification of Financial Resources — Becoming a Bitcoin Friendly City.”
The motion passed, and asked city staff to look into integrating Bitcoin into the city’s finances. A report is due later this fall.
Sim has positioned himself as a champion of making Vancouver a hub for the digital money.
Supporters think it will put the city on the map as a forward-thinking, Bitcoin-friendly city. “That seems to be the goal, so we’ll see where that goes, but it’s exciting,” said one Vancouver resident quoted in earlier reports.
But not everyone is on board. Andreas Park, a finance professor at the University of Toronto, doesn’t want governments investing in digital assets.
“I don’t actually like it when government officials, in any form, invest public money in anything,” he said. “It’s not their business to do.” He recommends they focus on blockchain technology, which he sees as having uses beyond “volatile assets” like bitcoin.
For now, the mayor’s BTC plans are all about helping firefighters who are under extreme pressure in their job. The fund will provide more access to counseling, crisis intervention programs, and other targeted mental health services.
