Pubdate: Thu, 31 Mar 2005
Source: Terminal City (CN BC)
Copyright: Victory Square Publishing Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.terminalcity.ca
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3719
Note: Weekly
Author: Gary McKenna
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?142 (Safe Injecting Rooms)

DRUGS, HOPE, AND THE DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE

Vancouver Agreement Hits Five-Year Mark; City Council Pushes For More 
Innovation

Vancouver's Downtown Eastside has come a long way since the Vancouver 
Agreement promised to clean up the neighbourhood's drug-infested streets 
five years ago. But take one look at the area and it's obvious: there's 
still a long way to go.

The urban revitalisation project, which was jointly funded by the city, the 
province, and the federal government, expired March 9. On Tuesday, city 
council pledged to continue funding for another five years.

"This is a model that other municipalities want to duplicate," said Wendy 
Au, the projects manager at city hall who authored the report recommending 
the renewal of the agreement. "The municipality has a big role to play 
because we are on the front line."

The project's goals were to revitalise the area near Hastings and Main, 
break up the area's open drug markets, ensure decent housing for residents 
of the area's rooming houses, and improve safety for the neighbourhood's 
residents.

The agreement's first focus has been on the revitalisation of the Downtown 
Eastside but Au said that in the next five years the city would be looking 
at other neighborhoods.

Since the project began, signs of improvement have taken hold. HIV/AIDS 
infection rates have come down, as have overdose drug deaths. Some of that 
success can be attributed to the introduction of North America's first safe 
injection site.

Much of the public attention focused on the Four Pillars drug strategy--the 
city's plan for reducing drug-related harm in Vancouver. The pillars--harm 
reduction, prevention, treatment and enforcement, drew both criticism and 
support when the program began.

Then-mayor Phillip Owen's support for the city's safe injection site drew 
fire from his own civic party, the NPA. The rift eventually led to his 
departure from office, and the election of COPE's Larry Campbell.

Au said many people come to the Downtown Eastside from other parts of the 
Lower Mainland because of the concentration of health and addiction 
services which exist in the neighborhood.

"The Vancouver Agreement is much bigger than the Four Pillars [drug 
strategy]," said Jean Kavanagh, communications director at the Vancouver 
Agreement coordination unit. "The Vancouver Agreement has worked in 
economic and employment as well as social issues and the Four Pillars."

Kavanagh said that the agreement has helped many people get training for a 
variety of different jobs and that 25 per cent of the employees at the 
newly opened Edgewater Casino live in the Downtown Eastside.

Looking forward to the years ahead, city council is pushing for more 
innovative solutions.

Councillor Sam Sullivan, who has championed the idea of harm reduction 
since he was voted into city council in 1996, said the city, through the 
Vancouver Agreement, should be working towards the legalisation of 
prescription heroin.

"For 10 years I have been hearing over and over that this can't be done," 
said Sullivan. "We still have hundreds of people dying and I don't think 
that drug maintenance should be focused on the Downtown Eastside."

Mayor Larry Campbell supported Sullivan's motion along with the rest of 
council, but said heroin maintenance could not happen because of 
international treaties that are under the jurisdiction of the federal 
government.

"This isn't something the city can do on its own," said Campbell. "I wish 
it was as simple as councilor Sullivan said."

Councillor Tim Louis said that it was important for council to be on the 
record in support of prescription heroin and to encourage the federal 
government to re-negotiate their international treaties.

"I remember a time when the idea of a safe injection site was really far 
out there," said Louis. "I have always said that the quickest way to 
eliminate property crime would be to give prescription heroin. The time has 
come for society to legalise prescription heroin and cocaine."
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager