Pubdate: Tue, 21 Jun 2005
Source: Abbotsford Times (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 The Abbotsford Times
Contact:  http://www.abbotsfordtimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1009
Author: Christina Toth, Staff reporter
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange)

ABBOTSFORD'S HARM-REDUCTION PLAN NOT BASED ON SCIENCE

Health Ministry officials are watching the progress of amendments to 
Abbotsford's zoning bylaw to see if it will violate the Community Charter 
and block medical services.

Last week Abbotsford City Council unanimously agreed to a change in its 
zoning bylaw that would ban harm-reduction facilities, such as needle 
exchanges, metha-done clinics and mobile services for drug addicts. The 
change was expected to pass fourth reading last night.

Once that's done, the Ministry of Health may step in, B.C.'s public health 
officer Dr. Perry Kendall said on Friday.

In a section that addresses concurrent regulatory authority, the Community 
Charter requires a local government to undergo consultation with the local 
public heath office and approval from the Health Ministry if it introduces 
a bylaw that restricts or potentially restricts access to health services.

"Potentially that bylaw violates this," said Kendall.

He said Abbotsford's intent to block harm-reduction services seems to be 
based on policy and not scientific information.

"This bylaw does seem to be predicated on misinformation. One senses it's 
based on policy, as opposed to evidence," he said.

Dr. Andrew Larder, public health officer for Fraser East, cautioned the 
city council at a public hearing on the issue that banning harm-reduction 
facilities may jeopardize services to Abbotsford residents.

He did not know what the implications of the bylaw amendment would be to 
the community.

Larder said at least one of the services the city council wants to ban, a 
needle exchange, is overdue.

"It's been identified as a need, even before I came to work, about four 
years ago," he said last week.
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MAP posted-by: Beth