B.C. politicians closely watching Ontario’s change to harm reduction strategy
When Insite first opened in 2003 in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, it was the first licensed supervised drug consumption site in North America.
However, public pressure is pushing for changes to harm reduction strategies across the country.
Monday, The Ontario government has passed a law banning the sites within 200 meters of a school or daycare.
This means that 10 consumption sites, including five in Toronto, will close in 2025.
British Columbia politicians will be watching closely what happens in Ontario.
“In most of our sites there are no challenges, but in some there are, and we need to work with the community to address those challenges,” B.C. Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon said Wednesday.
Consumption sites are just one part of B.C.’s strategy to address the illicit drug crisis. However, there is a growing public perception that these facilities are contributing to the disruption.
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British Columbia Conservatives have said they will impose policies similar to Ontario’s.
“The definition of harm reduction must include harm to the community. When we look at reducing harm from drug use, we must consider harm to neighbourhoods,” MP Elenore Sturko told Global News.
Ontario government redirects funding from closed sites to prevention and rehabilitation.
Health advocates in British Columbia warn that closing any facilities would push drug use further out of reach, putting lives at risk.
“Every time we change or remove services, we find that a vulnerable portion of the population is dispersed across the city,” said Fred Cameron of the SOLID Outreach Society.
On average, seven British Columbians die every day from toxic drugs.
© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
