Vancouver drug advocates open pop-up overdose prevention sites
Neighbours of a cancelled overdose prevention site in Vancouver say they’re concerned about ad hoc harm reduction services appearing outside the vacant building.
Neighbours of a proposed overdose prevention site in downtown Vancouver are voicing concerns about ad hoc harm reduction services being set up without official approval. The B.C. government recently cancelled a planned OPS at 900 Helmcken Street, but street vendors have begun providing supplies and water to drug users. Business owner Denise Meikle worries about the safety implications after these pop-up events, noting the potential for aggression and violence following drug use.
Jens "Spoons" Petersen, a resident near the site, expresses frustration with the community's labeling and the lack of alternative support options. Vancouver's mayor, Ken Sim, calls the ad-hoc distribution of harm reduction supplies "reckless" and against the wishes of residents, businesses, and healthcare professionals. Vancouver Coastal Health states they were unaware of the pop-up OPS, and the two-year leaseholder, RainCity Housing, plans to use the building for treatment and recovery supports instead.
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