Interior Health is eying up both a spot on Leon Avenue as well as a mobile unit, for potential safe injection sites, and that has some of the community concerned.
The Downtown Kelowna Association, which is a not-for-profit Business Improvement Area association, is coming out in opposition of the proposed Leon Avenue location that was revealed Thursday.
"The DKA is opposed to a supervised consumption site being located on Leon, at the proposed 477 Leon location or anywhere else in that area," Dan Allen, president of the DKA board said.
"It has been the DKA香蕉视频直播檚 number one priority for years to make that area safer for our members and the public, and to revitalize that area for development. The DKA is seriously concerned that a supervised consumption site at that location will undermine public safety in the Leon area and will present a roadblock to revitalization."
This isn't an unexpected response.
Dr. Silvina Mema, a medical health officer with IHA, told the 香蕉视频直播 in August, that overall community blowback and safe injection facilities go hand in hand.
香蕉视频直播淭his is not a straightforward service,香蕉视频直播� Mema said. 香蕉视频直播淭丑别蝉别 are controversial services because it addresses the needs of people who are marginalized and people who are doing something illegal, and there香蕉视频直播檚 a stigma around that.
香蕉视频直播淧eople think these individuals shouldn香蕉视频直播檛 be entitled to health services like others who don香蕉视频直播檛 engage in illegal activity.香蕉视频直播�
While the facility would simply be a safe space to inject drugs, Mema said, it would also provide a bridge for people who use drugs to enter into the health system.
香蕉视频直播淢aybe, eventually, someone would be ready to engage in services like detox and that will put them out of the misery of their addiction,香蕉视频直播� said Mema.
香蕉视频直播淭丑别y don香蕉视频直播檛 have to look for help, but when they are ready they know it is there if they need it and that香蕉视频直播檚 an advantage because these are people that wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 get it otherwise.香蕉视频直播�
The health authority has been working to figure out what kind of service would best suit the needs of this city since incidents of drug overdose deaths across B.C. recently rose sharply and a state of emergency was called.
In August Mema said that the death toll was prompting them to get a variety of injection services up-and-running soon, noting that Kelowna at that time had already had 20 overdose deaths and could expect to see 40 by the end of 2016 香蕉视频直播� doubling the number of drug-fatalities from the previous year.
She may have underestimated. Earlier this month the Coroners Service said there had been 37 fatal overdoses to date, with 20 linked to fentanyl.
香蕉视频直播淭丑别蝉别 are preventable 诲别补迟丑蝉,香蕉视频直播� Mema said, adding that a safe injection site, if implemented with other measures, could go a long way in lowering that number.
Since then, health officials have met with local government, RCMP, community agencies, people who use drugs, and business associations to obtain their opinions about supervised consumption in principle.
With that input taken into account, 迟丑别测香蕉视频直播檝别 found potential locations 香蕉视频直播� one being mobile the other at 477 Leon Ave. 香蕉视频直播� and service models, that could help facilitate the service.
香蕉视频直播淭丑别 proposed locations and service models were selected based on a combination of operational considerations, feedback received to date from stakeholders, data on where injection drug use occurs, and proximity to facilities where harm reduction and/or treatment services are already being provided to the target 辫辞辫耻濒补迟颈辞苍,香蕉视频直播� reads the release.
香蕉视频直播淭丑别 proposed mobile units would allow the service to be provided through outreach to more than one area of the city.香蕉视频直播�
No decisions have been made yet. This next phase of engagement involves consulting with stakeholders about the proposed locations, including people who use drugs, community partners, and the public.
Residents of Kamloops and Kelowna can provide feedback on supervised consumption services and the proposed locations by visiting the Interior Health Supervised Consumption webpage and submitting their opinions through the online feedback form by Dec. 15.
Following the consultation phase a decision will be made on whether to apply to Health Canada for an exemption to operate supervised consumption services and, if so, where. The decision will be based on the comments, a review of overdose data and operational considerations.
For more information, visit
