Pubdate: Fri, 30 Dec 2016
Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2016 Times Colonist
Contact:  http://www.timescolonist.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481
Author: Cindy E. Harnett
Page: A1

DRUG-USE SITE SHUTS CITY HALL IN NANAIMO

An unsanctioned overdose-prevention site for drug users plunked down in
Nanaimo City Hall's parking lot will remain in operation despite shutting
down city hall buildings for a day.

"It's in operation and we plan on keeping it in operation in this location
or another location until Island Health gets off their bureaucratic
butts," said Nanaimo Coun. Gordon Fuller. "They say they'll have something
next week. They better have something next week."

On Thursday, Nanaimo chief administrative officer Tracy Samra shut down
two of the city's downtown buildings based on "public safety concerns"
after the unsanctioned overdose-prevention site was set up Monday in city
hall's Wallace Street parking lot.

Two alternate buildings on Victoria Avenue delivered the services on
Thursday.

Samra then called an emergency meeting to resolve the "safety" issue but
only three councillors - Fuller, Jim Kipp and Diane Brennan - showed up.

"We did not achieve a quorum at today's scheduled council meeting," said
Samra. "As a result, city staff will seek direction from council at the
next scheduled meeting on Jan. 9, 2017."

The city buildings will re-open today "with the addition of security
services for public safety," said Samra.

"In the interim, city staff with the assistance of bylaws, fire services
and the RCMP, will continue to monitor the unauthorized and unregulated
injection site located adjacent to city hall," said Samra. "Unregulated
drug consumption sites pose serious public health and public safety
risks."

Samra said before closing the buildings she had tried for 24 hours to get
action from Island Health.

"I have been unable to get a commitment from them to take action, nor can
I compel them to do something to deal with this public health issue," said
Samra.

Nanaimo Mayor Bill McKay said he can't comment on the situation, as it is
in the city manager's hands.

Councillors Fuller and Kipp opened the temporary overdose prevention site
on Boxing Day with the help of volunteers, noting that Nanaimo has the
highest per capita death-from-overdose rate in B.C.

Island Health said it is planning to open an official overdose prevention
site in Nan aim on ext week, but the health authority acknowledged
Thursday it is still searching for an appropriate site.

"We will have something as quickly as possible," said Kellie Hudson,
spokesperson for Island Health. "We have been working with the City of
Nanaimo and other partners up there to get this off the ground.

"We are working under a ministerial order to get an overdose-prevention
site … but this pop-up site is not under our jurisdiction," said Hudson.

On Dec. 12, British Columbia enacted a ministerial order to support the
creation of temporary overdose-prevention sites - an emergency response
until official supervised-consumption sites, with attached health and
social services, are approved by Health Canada.

The temporary drug-injection site in the parking lot of Nanaimo's city
hall consists of a canopy with tarp sides, a source of heat, tables and
chairs, and has two people trained to deliver the overdose antidote
naloxone and to call emergency services, Fuller said.

Fuller called Thursday's closing of downtown city hall buildings "an
over-reaction" that put too much emphasis on liability rather than the
overriding responsibility to save lives amid the overdose crisis.

A record number of people have died from illicit drug overdoses in B.C.
this year - 755 between January and the end of November, an increase of
more than 70 per cent from the same period last year, according to the
B.C. Coroners Service.

Sixty overdose deaths have been recorded in Victoria, trailing only
Vancouver at 164 and Surrey at 92. Nanaimo has had 25 deaths.

The overdose-prevention sites offer a hygienic environment where people
use their own drugs under the supervision of medical staff. The aim is to
reduce the number of overdose deaths, connect people with health-care
services and reduce public drug use and the number of discarded needles.

Island Health hopes to open one Health Canada-approved supervised
consumption site in Nanaimo and three in Victoria.

In the meantime, the health authority has opened two temporary sites in
Victoria and plans for a third in Nanaimo next week.
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