Metro Vancouver Councillors Call for End of BC’s Drug Decriminalization ‘Experiment’

A man injects drugs on a street in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside on Feb. 6, 2019. The Canadian Press/Jonathan Hayward

Several Metro Vancouver municipal councillors are calling on the B.C. government to “stop the insanity” and put an end to drug decriminalization

Surrey Councillor Linda Annis, New Westminster Councillor Daniel Fontaine, and Richmond Councillor Alexa Loo issued a joint statement on April 22, posted on Mr. Fontaine’s Facebook page, calling on their respective councils to “urge the provincial government to end its experiment decriminalizing deadly drugs, and focus on treatment and rehabilitation instead.”

The councillors said they intend to bring notices of motions to their councils to push their request forward, according to the statement.

Ms. Loo told The Epoch Times that decriminalization has only made the situation worse.

“We see what we’re doing isn’t helping people. It’s also destroying our neighbourhoods. So we have to stop the insanity,” she said during a phone interview.

“We haven’t seen any improvement on the number of people dying from the drugs, the number of people using the drugs, and the number of encampments in our communities. It’s become worse, not better.”

The councillors called on the provincial government to follow the lead of Oregon, which decided to end decriminalization after a three-year trial.

“In a 2023 poll by Emerson College Polling, Oregonians said they wanted to repeal decriminalization, which is what they’ve done. It’s a lesson and approach we should follow here in British Columbia,” Ms. Annis said in the statement.

“The experiment in Oregon failed, and it’s clear that BC’s experiment, which has Ottawa’s approval, has also failed,” Mr. Fontaine said.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek signed a bill on April 1 that “recriminalizes” drug possession in the state.

While bringing back criminal penalties for “personal use possession” of drugs such as heroin, methamphetamine, LSD, and oxycodone, among others, the law also allows law enforcement agencies to develop diversion programs offering addiction and mental health services for those caught with drugs.

It’s an idea Mr. Fontaine agrees with.

“We should reverse decriminalization and put our emphasis on treatment, rehabilitation, and a continuum of care, rather than serving up more drugs as a solution,” he said in the joint release. “The fact is, our neighbourhoods, communities, and local businesses are all struggling and losing against the tragic impacts of deadly drugs and legalization, which are growing like terminal cancer right across the province.”

Councillor Loo said it’s time for some responsibility to be shown.

“We need accountability from people, and we need accountability from the province on providing the services and the availability,” she said. “Sometimes there’s a 2, 3, 4 week waiting list to get into some of these facilities.” The result is individuals are ready to enter a program that has no space for them.

“So instead, we’re just turning them back out on the street with their drugs, and a pamphlet, saying ‘Best of luck to you.’”

B.C.’s decriminalization policy made headlines again on April 4 after Health Minister Adrian Dix was asked about a health authority memo that directed nurses in the Northern Health region not to deny patients their drugs or weapons.

During Question Period in the provincial legislature on April 4, BC United MLA Elenore Sturko said the NDP’s decriminalization policy was having a “devastating impact on nurses and health care staff.

Ms. Sturko said nurses faced “a daily reality of drug-fuelled violence” in hospitals, including drug smoke being blown in their faces as well as being kicked, punched, shoved, and stabbed.

Mr. Dix responded that patients are often dealing with several health issues as well as mental health problems and that controlled substances were prohibited in emergency departments and anywhere someone under 18 was present. As for weapons, they are “absolutely prohibited,” he said.

The health minister’s response was “the last straw,” the councillors said.

“The recent news that these deadly drugs are being sold and used in our hospitals has to be the last straw,” Ms. Loo said in the release. “In Oregon, their experience with decriminalization was terrible and getting worse, and that’s exactly what we’re seeing here in British Columbia. The provincial and federal governments need to end this decriminalization mistake.”

Both the official Opposition B.C. United and B.C.’s Conservative Party have also called for an end to decriminalization.

Conservative Leader John Rustad criticized the B.C. government’s policy in an April 4 video posted on social media.

At the time, he said it was “absolutely crazy” to see drugs and open drug dens in small communities.

Mr. Rustad said his party would “bring an end to safe supply” and “decriminalization,” saying getting people into treatment and recovery was the answer.

In another social media video posted on April 4, BC United Leader Kevin Falcon also criticized the NDP government’s policy, saying it would end “within hours” under a BC United government.

Legislating Safe Spaces

In Oct. 2023, just 10 months after the decriminalization policy was introduced, the government announced legislation that would restrict where people could consume the drugs.

NDP’s Mike Farnworth said at the time that the Restricting Public Consumption of Illegal Substances Act would prohibit public drug use at parks, recreational spaces, around doorways, and near bus stops.

However, a group called the Harm Reduction Nurses Association brought a lawsuit against the legislation.

On Dec. 29, 2023, the B.C. Supreme Court issued a temporary injunction that prevented the bill from being enacted, with the judge saying that “irreparable harm” would result if the law were to come into force.

Chase Smith contributed to this report.