DESPITE DISAGREEMENTS, ACTION HAS TO BE TAKEN TO HELP DRUG USERS

It is clear that something has to be done quickly to decrease the overdose
deaths and the open drug scene in the Downtown Eastside. It is also clear
that any potential solution will meet with opposition.

A balance of interests must considered. But it is not possible to satisfy
every interest in the area before setting out to improve health services.

It is important to make a start, however. Otherwise we will continue to
watch the decline in the health and safety of many residents.

In response to the serious health concerns faced by drug users in the
Downtown Eastside, the federal, provincial and municipal governments, along
with the Vancouver Police and the Vancouver/Richmond Health Board, have
developed a plan to improve health and safety in the community.

The Downtown Eastside health and safety initiatives are part of the
Vancouver Agreement. These initiatives represent a system of care to
improve alcohol and drug treatment and basic health care in the area with
the expansion of some services into other parts of the region.

As part of this plan, an application has been made to the city of Vancouver
for development permits for new health sites in the area, including a
day-time LifeSkills Centre, the expansion of two existing clinics and
24-hour Contact Centre to help people move off the street and into health
services.

Everybody seems to be in general agreement that these services are needed;
but nobody wants these services in their backyard.

These initiatives include the same services requested by the community over
many years including more alcohol and drug treatment, detox, increased
mental health services, more police enforcement and greater coordination
between police, health staff and municipal officials.

The neighbourhood will become a healthier and safer place for everyone as a
result of the health and safety initiatives. Surely this is a goal shared
by every member of the community.

Strong support has consistently been shown for alcohol and drug services,
but locations to house them have been controversial. In the past, potential
locations for health facilities have not been popular with communities in
Strathcona, Gastown or Chinatown. There is agreement on the need for
services, but not on the locations for the services.

It has been a great challenge to find the proposed locations to house these
services. The four sites described in the development application were
identified after an exhaustive property search. They were the most logical
and available buildings for the type of services they will house.

The first is the Contact Centre at 166 East Hastings, a 24-hour first point
of contact for individuals wanting refuge from the street.

The second is The Life Skills Centre at 410 East Cordova, a daytime
education centre focusing on preparing clients for employment and life in
the community.

The third component is to relocate the Downtown Community Health Centre to
569 Powell Street, which will allow for expanded health services and for
extended hours of operation.

The final facility is the Pender Community Health Clinic at 59 West Pender
which will provide detox, addiction treatment, mental health services,
methadone services and treatment of chronic health issues.

The proposal will be going before the Vancouver development permit board
today. More than 300 speakers have signed up to speak for or against the
proposal.

As the chief medical health officer of the Vancouver/Richmond Health Board,
I will be speaking in favour.

These initiatives are part of a region-wide plan to increase alcohol and
drug services. All partners are committed to this plan and will work
together in the Downtown Eastside to begin this process of long-term change.

There are risks in moving forward with the initiatives. But there are much
greater risks in doing nothing at all.

So far, acting on none of these initiatives has continued the drug use,
overdose deaths and misery for people who live in this community, a part of
the city of Vancouver.