By Spencer Sterritt

Island Health accuses City of Nanaimo of inaction as nearly 150 fatally overdose

Feb 27, 2018 | 3:23 PM

NANAIMO — After nearly 150 people fatally overdosed within four years in Nanaimo, Island Health is pushing back against the idea there’s little the City could do without provincial help.

Dr. Paul Hasselback presented to Council Monday night, providing an overview of how the crisis got to the point where 51 people died and how relief efforts in the Harbour City will stagnate.

“Nothing happening is the worst-case scenario. That’s what we’ve seen for the last six months and that’s what we’ve seen here at Council,” he said.

After the presentation, coun. Bill Bestwick said the province needs to “step up” their assistance and stop “downloading” issues onto municipalities.

“Maybe enforcement, maybe there’s other things…and someone to finance these things in order to lessen the burden,” he said.

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This after the City’s public safety committee asked the province for help and was selected as one of 17 communities across B.C. receiving a community action team, specifically addressing homelessness and receiving up to $100,000 in funding from the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions.

“Actually, the community action team is here because the province is concerned about what’s going on in Nanaimo,” Hasselback replied. The team will feature members of the Nanaimo Overdose Prevention and Management Working Group, who’ve tackled the ongoing overdose crisis since December 2014.

The idea of the province downloading issues to the City is often heard during Council meetings when discussing the overdose crisis and the housing crunch.

But on Feb. 19, City councillors voted to reject $7 million in provincial funding for a supportive housing project in Chase River, citing concerns about the location.

They also voted against rezoning the current overdose prevention site into a supervised consumption site, which would offer more services and supports to those in need. The site would have been completely funded by Island Health and the province, requiring nothing from the City other than rezoning approval.

Hasselback said he very specifically didn’t want to give the impression either Island Health or the province wanted to offload their responsibility.

“This is a partnership, this is a crisis. When there’s a spill that happens in the Georgia Strait we all come together, we all do what we can and we respond to it. The difference is, this is a crisis that’s been going on for four years. I think everyone coming to the table has to be working in a concerted fashion.”

Coun. Bill Yoachim admitted there’s little the City of Nanaimo can currently do to fulfill their responsibility.

“Our social wellness in the City is pretty bare-boned at best,” he said. “I would like us to truly create some dollars somewhere to take this on.”

City councillors previously had the option to spend dollars specifically on the homelessness issue downtown, which is part of the strategy to curb overdose deaths in Nanaimo.

A staff report was presented to them at a finance and audit committee meeting on Dec. 13 recommending nearly $270,000 is various projects and initiatives.

However, councillors voted to spend $60,000 to continue with their downtown security and cleaning programs for three months after raising concerns about what was included in the funding.

Coun. Bill Bestwick said the report was “important and difficult” during a Council meeting on Dec. 11 and then two days later said he didn’t agree with “well over 50 per cent of the spend we’re being asked to commit to.”

NanaimoNewsNOW reached out to Mayor and Council asking about the perceived “downloading” issue and specifically what they would like to see come from the province.

Coun. Diane Brennan said while downloading from the province was an issue in the early 2000’s, it’s since tapered off and now the province is offering funds in partnership. “The City needs to take advantage of those funds and opportunities because what is occurring now is a far cry from the downloading we became so used to in the past.”

Both coun. Gord Fuller and Sheryl Armstrong said they wanted to see more detox beds made available to those suffering from addictions who wanted to take the proper first steps to a healthier life.

When asked about the perceived downloading, the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions said “The Ministry communicated directly with elected officials in Nanaimo prior to establishing a community action team in that location….that have the support of up to $100,000 in funding to intervene quickly with life-saving responses, early intervention and active treatment and support.”

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_Sterrit