HOUSES BEFORE SAFE-INJECTION SITES, SAYS CHAMBER

The Victoria Chamber of Commerce has thrown its opinion into the
safe-injection site debate. The Chamber supports a harm-reduction
strategy empathizing prevention, housing, enforcement and treatment.

"Essentially we think there are other ways to break the cycle of
addiction," said Bruce Carter, spokesperson and CEO of the Greater
Victoria Chamber of Commerce. "In running a safe consumption site
there is still the illegal activity associated with the buying and
selling of drugs."

Carter added that 90 per cent of property crime in Victoria is drug related.

"With every consumption at the site there is a crime attached,"
continued Carter referring to the source of the drugs consumed at the
hypothetical site. "We can come up with other solutions that don't
promote drug activity."

One solution proposed is a "housing first" strategy similar to what
the U.S. has done in cities like Philadelphia, Seattle, and Miami.
The recorded successes from these programs range from a 26 to 50 per
cent reduction in the homeless population simply by offering
affordable government-subsidized housing.

"Housing facilitates the delivery of treatment services," Carter
said, adding money would be best spent on addiction treatment and an
"integrated justice system."