NEEDLE EXCHANGE: NO CASH FOR MOVE

AIDS Vancouver Island Director Says Financially Hard-Pressed Facility
Will Have To Stay Where It Is

AIDS Vancouver Island's needle exchange won't be moving from the
corner of Cormorant and Blanshard streets anytime soon, says
executive director Miki Hansen.

"We don't have the money to move. Period," Hansen said yesterday.
"That's the bottom line. And we don't have the money to be able to
offer some really good programming."

In February, AIDS Vancouver Island announced it was moving the needle
exchange, even though its lease on the Cormorant facility isn't up
until 2008, with an option for extension. The facility's neighbours
have complained about an increasing number of clients leaving behind
used needles, drug paraphernalia and human excrement.

"We needed to let the public know we were aware of their concerns and
that we shared them too," explained Hansen. "But we need funding for
a new building and new staffing and we'll be out of there as soon as
that happens."

Until 2002, Ministry of Health funding for HIV/AIDs groups on
Vancouver Island was $1.5 million. This year, the Vancouver Island
Health Authority cut $450,000 from AIDS and hepatitis C services on
the south Island, and is spreading the money across the north and
central Island, said Hansen.

"But funding is still needed on the south Island," said Hansen. "We,
the community, are saying the health authority needs to find that
money and needs to find additional funding on top of that. We've been
running a deficit for years and we need to put out services to the
community that are going to make a difference."

The health authority is currently in contract negotiations with AIDS
Vancouver Island and can't speak about the issue publicly, said
spokeswoman Suzanne Germain.

Hansen refused to speculate on what would happen if VIHA keeps
funding at its current level.

"I'm not prepared to say what kind of outcome that will create
because we feel so committed to the people we serve and we're trying
to do everything possible at this point," she said.

On Monday night, Hansen promised 150 residents of the Burnside Gorge
Community Centre the needle exchange would not move to Rock Bay
unless the move included an improved facility offering more services.
Her vision of a new needle exchange includes an inside covered
courtyard area -- not unlike the new Our Place facility on Johnson
Street. It also has a drop-in area, a kitchen to reheat donated food,
a storage area for personal belongings, street nurses, addiction
counsellors working seven days a week and mental health workers.

Victoria deputy police chief Bill Naughton said the physical layout
of the Cormorant Street facility -- which doesn't offer an enclosed
outdoor gathering area -- is unsuitable for the clients it serves.

"It's not their fault that what's happening right now doesn't work
for them," said Naughton. "But a properly structured needle exchange
with appropriate full-on support services can really work in this community."

Police and the community have a history of successfully relocating
social services with good-neighbour agreements, said Naughton,
pointing to Our Place and a temporary shelter at St. John the Divine.

Residents and business owners voiced concerns the city is dumping too
many problems in the Rock Bay area.

"I feel a bit condescended to," said resident Linda Foster. "I know
you don't mean to. But I'm hearing there's not enough money to do it
right and I'm feeling it's going to go ahead anyway. You don't have
the money to police it properly."

Victoria's intravenous drug population is estimated at between 2,000 and 2,500.