The overdose prevention site on Wesley St. is seen by many to be a hub for many downtown disorder issues but also live-saving efforts in the overdose crisis. (Spencer Sterritt/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Spencer Sterritt

Supervised consumption site

Issues of trust revealed to be at heart of Nanaimo’s supervised consumption site saga

Jul 9, 2019 | 8:26 AM

NANAIMO — The sometimes fraught relationship between Nanaimo administration and Island Health, specifically regarding the downtown overdose prevention site, has revealed itself to be a major issue in moving ahead.

Councillors and medical health officer Dr. Paul Hasselback spoke and sparred at length on Monday, July 8 over the process of replacing the existing overdose prevention site (OPS) on Wesley Rd. with a supervised consumption site (SCS).

Dr. Hasselback argued in favour of changing a City of Nanaimo bylaw to consider a SCS as a medical/dental office, which is allowed to be built in many areas of Nanaimo. Under such a designation, the City wouldn’t be able to require conditions they propose be met by the health authority and federal government.

“How do we trust that if we open up our zoning we’re not going to have something forced upon us?” Coun. Erin Hemmens said on Monday.

She said trust between Island Health and councillors hasn’t yet been fully established and there’s still a significant amount of unknown information about what a SCS in Nanaimo would look like.

pedestrian hit

Thirteen-year-old boy injured after being hit by car along Departure Bay Rd.

51m ago

work stoppage

Canada Post workers are on strike. Here's what you need to know about your mail

4h ago

Playoff Time

Barsby Bulldogs hit the road for AA varsity quarterfinal game

5h ago

Specifically, Hemmens said while she supports the site currently on Wesley St. the increase of crime and social disorder in the area has eroded confidence on all fronts.

“That’s a lot of faith to put into the community and trust to say ‘We know it’s not going well down there and we’re going to do it again over here. By the way we don’t have extra resources to devote to it and we don’t know what that’s going to look like for our police force.'”

Dr. Hasselback said he encouraged discussion about solutions to the Wesley St. situation. When the OPS was first approved, Hasselback said it was a relatively rushed process ill-equipped to handle those conversations, but a federal application to Health Canada for a SCS would generate the required discussion.

“(The federal government) isn’t about to go forward without ensuring this council, this community, this province is engaged in those conversations relative to what is required.”

He said Health Canada actually hasn’t moved ahead with many SCS applications due to “insufficent community engagement.”

The repercussions of a public hearing about a SCS on Wesley St. in mid-2017 loomed large over the discussion on Monday night.

At that time, the previous administration declined to approve the necessary rezoning for a SCS after a public hearing where 12 people spoke about the impacts felt by area residents.

On Monday, Dr. Hasselback referred to the 2017 public hearing as a “blood battle” which created division and tension in the community.

He’s previously been critical of Nanaimo administration, hanging the deaths of 51 people who fatally overdosed around the necks of previous councillors when he accused them of inaction.

After a lengthy discussion, Nanaimo councillors voted in favour of Dr. Paul Hasselback’s proposition to consider a SCS as a medical/dental office.

This was against the staff recommendation, which was to change wording in existing bylaws about drug treatment centres and permit a SCS on a site-specific basis.

The motion passed 5-3, with councillors Sheryl Armstrong, Ian Thorpe and mayor Leonard Krog opposed.

Numerous times Coun. Armstrong referenced the social discord around Wesley St. and stressed a need for greater action and answers to lingering community questions.

In the first three months of 2019, Nanaimo is not considered one of the top B.C. communities affected by the ongoing overdose crisis. Less than five people have fatally overdosed in that time.

This is a contrast to previous reports from the BC Coroner’s Service where Nanaimo was often found to be the fifth or sixth hardest hit community.

Nearly 40 fatally overdosed in Nanaimo in 2018, down from 55 in 2017.

Despite the decrease, Dr. Hasselback said the crisis is not over.

“I’m hopeful and I will remain hopeful that we will actually get through this crisis. What I’m not hopeful of is that we’re not going to have substance use problems afterwards, which are going to need a supervised consumption site.”

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit