Correspondence from Mayor Helps re: Safer Drug Supply to Save Lives

March 13, 2019

Dear Premier Horgan,

I am writing on behalf of Victoria City Council to request favourable consideration and resolutions of support for a safer drug supply to save lives in British Columbia.

At the February 7, 2019 Council Meeting, Council approved the following resolution:

Resolution: Safer Drug Supply to Save Lives British Columbia

WHEREAS It has been two years since BC declared a public-health emergency due to increased overdoses, yet the death toll for those consuming substances continues to rise due to an unpredictable and highly-toxic drug supply;

WHEREAS people with opioid use disorder, a chronic relapsing medical condition, are at high risk of overdose-related harms including death;

WHEREAS an estimated 42,200 people inject toxic substances in British Columbia;

WHEREAS it is not possible for the treatment system to rapidly increase services fast enough to manage this number of people as “patients” within a medical treatment model given the many challenges in achieving and retaining the people on opioid use disorder treatment;

WHEREAS people at risk of overdose in British Columbia do not have access to a safer alternative to the unpredictable, highly-toxic drug supply;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT, in an effort to save lives and reduce harm due to an unpredictable and highly-toxic drug supply, and as part of a holistic response to the public-health emergency, including prevention, treatment, and recovery, that the Province of British Columbia work with local communities, Health Authorities across the Province, the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions, and the Ministry of Health ensure that people at risk of overdose harm have access to safer alternatives.

We look forward to your support on this matter.

Sincerely,

Lisa Helps Victoria Mayor

cc.

• Honourable Adrian Dix, Minister of Health
• Honourable Judy Darcy, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions
• Honourable Selina Robinson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
• The Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities (AVICC) Annual Convention
• The Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) Annual Convention
• British Columbia Municipalities and Regional Districts