News (Media Awareness Project) - CN BC: Province To Push Ahead On Centre For Drug Users |
| Title: | CN BC: Province To Push Ahead On Centre For Drug Users |
| Published On: | 2000-08-11 |
| Source: | Vancouver Sun (CN BC) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-09-03 12:43:50 |
PROVINCE TO PUSH AHEAD ON CENTRE FOR DRUG USERS, MINISTER SAYS
The province will ignore Vancouver mayor Phillip Owen's moratorium on new projects for drug users in the Downtown Eastside and continue making plans to establish a multi-purpose facility, Community Development Minister Jenny Kwan said Thursday.
Kwan said it's uncertain whether Owen has the authority to halt progress on the multi-service resource centre for drug users on Powell Street after he called a 90-day freeze on permits and applications for facilities.
"The province initiatives don't require city approval," said Kwan. "We won't stop doing the work that is absolutely necessary in the community."
The moratorium will worsen an already bad situation in the Downtown Eastside, said Kwan. The province is studying whether a detox centre is needed for the area and will proceed with its plans.
Owen launched the moratorium earlier this week after an alliance of community and business leaders, led by a prominent Non-Partisan Association supporter, the mayor's party, demanded a halt to funding for programs that facilitate drug use.
The Community Alliance, a recently-formed coalition of 12 groups representing business and property owners in Gastown and Chinatown, believes that too much money has been spent on harm-reduction and social programs with few positive results.
Calling the alliance's frustration understandable, Owen said, a cooling-off period was needed.
Constable Anne Drennan, the Vancouver police department's media representative, said a facility to assist drug addicts is needed and supported by the force.
"But we believe that all of the components of the total package have to be in place," said Drennan. "We know that a resource centre is not the be-all end-all."
Vancouver Richmond Health Board, which also endorses a resource centre, is backing the mayor's moratorium.
"Yes there are people dying on the street now, there are people gravely ill and there is some cost to this moratorium," said Jack Altman, the board's vice-president of community health.
"But the mayor has been clear about the need to approach the addiction issue on a lot of levels and maybe this is the opportunity to look at options and opportunities."
With the emergence of the business alliance, Altman said it has become obvious that just having a resource centre for drug users is not going to solve the problems in the Downtown Eastside.
The province will ignore Vancouver mayor Phillip Owen's moratorium on new projects for drug users in the Downtown Eastside and continue making plans to establish a multi-purpose facility, Community Development Minister Jenny Kwan said Thursday.
Kwan said it's uncertain whether Owen has the authority to halt progress on the multi-service resource centre for drug users on Powell Street after he called a 90-day freeze on permits and applications for facilities.
"The province initiatives don't require city approval," said Kwan. "We won't stop doing the work that is absolutely necessary in the community."
The moratorium will worsen an already bad situation in the Downtown Eastside, said Kwan. The province is studying whether a detox centre is needed for the area and will proceed with its plans.
Owen launched the moratorium earlier this week after an alliance of community and business leaders, led by a prominent Non-Partisan Association supporter, the mayor's party, demanded a halt to funding for programs that facilitate drug use.
The Community Alliance, a recently-formed coalition of 12 groups representing business and property owners in Gastown and Chinatown, believes that too much money has been spent on harm-reduction and social programs with few positive results.
Calling the alliance's frustration understandable, Owen said, a cooling-off period was needed.
Constable Anne Drennan, the Vancouver police department's media representative, said a facility to assist drug addicts is needed and supported by the force.
"But we believe that all of the components of the total package have to be in place," said Drennan. "We know that a resource centre is not the be-all end-all."
Vancouver Richmond Health Board, which also endorses a resource centre, is backing the mayor's moratorium.
"Yes there are people dying on the street now, there are people gravely ill and there is some cost to this moratorium," said Jack Altman, the board's vice-president of community health.
"But the mayor has been clear about the need to approach the addiction issue on a lot of levels and maybe this is the opportunity to look at options and opportunities."
With the emergence of the business alliance, Altman said it has become obvious that just having a resource centre for drug users is not going to solve the problems in the Downtown Eastside.
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