Pubdate: Thu, 05 Jul 2007
Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2007 Times Colonist
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481
Author: Cindy E. Harnett
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange)

NEEDLE EXCHANGE SEEKS TO DOUBLE FUNDING

AIDS Vancouver Island needs $585,000 -- more than double its current 
operating budget -- to run an expanded needle exchange in a new 
location, according to a confidential draft document sent by the 
agency to city and health officials.

The document is being considered by the Vancouver Island Health 
Authority, which provides funding for the AIDS organization, as 13 
plaintiffs are expected to file a court injunction this afternoon to 
stop the needle exchange from operating at its Cormorant Street location.

The needle exchange is the source of much controversy. Homeless 
addicts with nowhere to shoot up loiter outside, urinate, defecate 
and leave behind a trail of dirty syringes, blood and human waste.

Victoria lawyer Stewart Johnston, whose Amelia Street law firm is off 
Cormorant, is fed up.

He is one of several business people and residents expected to file 
an injunction against the Ministry of Health, VIHA, AIDS Vancouver 
Island and Yentel Property Management Inc. today, asking the court to 
shut down the exchange, which they argue is a nuisance to property 
owners and tenants in the neighbourhood.

"It's not doing a good job for addicts, and it's certainly doing a 
bad job for the neighbourhood," Johnston said yesterday. "Close it 
down, expand it or open it up again properly."

That's what AIDS Vancouver Island wants to do. Its proposal for an 
expanded needle exchange includes a 3,000-square-foot building close 
to downtown -- Rock Bay has been suggested, but no formal location 
has been proposed. It also calls for a supervised 50-person drop-in 
centre, courtyard, toilets, showers, kitchen, counsellors' offices 
and storage space.

VIHA won't comment on the court action or AIDS Vancouver Island's 
request for additional funding. The two parties are in budget 
negotiations that are expected to conclude in weeks.

Katrina Jensen, AVI's director of programs, said the existing 
seven-day, two-person operation, which costs $250,000 annually to 
run, doesn't have enough money from VIHA to run the needle-exchange properly.

"All we're seeking is a service that will hopefully meet clients' 
needs and reduce the impact on the neighbourhood," Jensen said.

Since February 2002, when the exchange opened at its current site, 
the area has slowly become a no-go zone for everyone but hard-core 
addicts, critics say.

That's because the neighbourhood and the nature of drug use have 
changed, Jensen said.

The number of clients and syringes has increased greatly since the 
service started in 1996 -- one million syringes, up from 128,000, and 
2,000 clients, up from 545, she said.

AIDS Vancouver Island doesn't want to move the problem to another 
neighbourhood, Jensen said. Rather, it wants to provide the necessary 
services in an appropriate space so the surrounding area is not affected.

The agency rents its building from Yentel Property Management, owned 
by David Siegel and Max Josephson.

VIHA spokeswoman Suzanne Germain said yesterday the health authority 
is not responsible for the building, leases or surrounding area.

Yentel Property said yesterday that it was unaware of the court 
injunction and problems with the building.

"I don't know anything about it -- it's the first I've heard of it," 
Josephson said. "It has nothing to do with the landlord ... we 
believe it's the tenants' responsibility."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom