SAFE-INJECTION CENTRE TO COST A MILLION

A supervised, safe-injection site -- a version of which Vancouver Mayor
Larry Campbell is currently in Zurich to visit -- will cost about $1
million to set up and operate for a year.

The estimate was provided yesterday by Clay Adams, a spokesman for the
Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, the body charged with making the
application to Health Canada to operate such a facility.

The proposed centre, part of Vancouver's Four Pillars Strategy to deal with
drug addiction, would include a detox centre, counselling support and
treatment.

"They [the city and police] want something which is not just a place for
people to come and inject," Adams said. "They want something which also
provided the opportunity to get people off drugs."

There has been no confirmation of funding from the federal government and
the authority can't afford the centre without Ottawa's help.

But Adams is confident because "the desire is there to do it."

"Our target is to get something in by late March or April," he said.