NEEDLE EXCHANGE TOLD TO CLEAN UP OR BE EVICTED

Landlord Gives Facility A Month

AIDS Vancouver Island's needle exchange has been given a month by its
landlord to clean up its act or face eviction.

"The clock is ticking, we need a solution quickly," Andrea Langlois,
AVI spokeswoman, said yesterday. "The solutions lie in the hands of
the [Vancouver Island] Health Authority."

The agency's needle exchange -- one of many services funded by VIHA
and run by the agency from its headquarters at Blanshard and
Cormorant streets -- has been served a notice of complaint. That
complaint asks for the end of loitering and defacement of public and
private property. If the conditions are not met, an eviction notice
will be effective May 2008.

The needle exchange has been controversial for at least a year
because some of the homeless addicts loiter outside, urinate and
defecate, leaving behind a trail of dirty syringes, blood and human waste.

Opened in 1988, the needle exchange has 1,600 registered users and
25,000 visits a year. In 2006-07, it distributed 740,000 needles and
had 104 per cent returned, meaning more needles came into the centre
for disposal than were given out.

A lawsuit aimed at temporarily shutting down the service was filed in
B.C. Supreme Court on July 5 by a group of neighbouring businesses
and residents. The lawsuit was filed against the Ministry of Health,
VIHA, AVI and landlords Yentel Property Management Inc., whose owners
include David Siegel and Max Josephson.

Victoria lawyer Stewart Johnston, whose Amelia Street law firm is off
Cormorant Street and is one of the parties seeking a temporary
injunction, said he's glad the landlord has now served AVI with a
complaint notice.

"I'm pleased with this development. It's not exactly where we wanted
the lawsuit to go but ..."

Johnston said the needle-exchange is "inadequate" and can't continue
operating the way it is now. It must be shut down or moved so it can
be expanded to run properly, he said.

Marilyn Callahan, AVI board chairwoman, said the landlords, who could
not be reached for comment, have been patient. Although she doesn't
think the needle exchange will shut down, she said it would have a
devastating impact if it did. "This kind of a deadline forces us all
to come together and look at it," she said. "I think [shutting it
down] would be a terrible mistake. Every city has one. It's proven to
be the best way to stop the spread of HIV and Hepatitis C infections."

In February, AVI announced that it needed more funding to adequately
run an expanded service at a new location.

And this summer it released a document detailing it needs $585,000 --
more than double its current operating budget -- for an approximate
3,000-square-foot building, close to downtown. That would allow for a
supervised 50-person drop-in centre, courtyard, toilets, showers,
kitchen, counsellors' offices and storage space.

VIHA chief operating officer Mike Conroy said a third-party review of
best practices around needle exchanges so as to address the "public
order" problem should provide recommendations by the end of next week.

VIHA also expects recommendations from a task force set up by the
mayor, due to be released at the end of this week, will also provide
a piece of the puzzle in terms of solutions.

Conroy said VIHA hopes to develop a plan both the public and the
landlords will find acceptable.