The Line, Jan. 12, 2023
Are BC’s Drug Consumption Sites the Wild West? BC site operators have “no rules” to follow after obtaining a federal exemption. – Former addict Marshall Smith now Chief of Staff to Alberta Premier.
“In British Columbia they have upwards of 45 to 50 supervised consumption sites (SCS)… unregulated by the province. They do not have the type of regulatory oversight or quality assurance standards that we (in Alberta) have brought in. BC sites are typically run by advocacy and activist organizations that champion a very liberal use of drugs, a very liberal drug policy.
You just have to get the Section 56 (federal) exemption and you can go pop one up wherever you want. There are really no rules around that.
Before we’ll give you a license (in Alberta) you must conduct a comprehensive community engagement session. You must have good neighbour agreements, written agreements in place with the businesses around the area of how you will conduct yourselves. When there is a dispute between what is going on at the SCS and the community, there’s a dispute resolution process. You must have an approval of the local police. You must have the employees who work in the facilities subject to a criminal vulnerable sector record check. You must have a toilet. You must have your staff trained by professionals.” Read the full article by clicking the button.
