Pubdate: Thu, 31 May 2012
Source: Abbotsford Times (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 The Abbotsford Times
Contact:  http://www.abbotsfordtimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1009
Author: Rochelle Baker

COUNCIL WILL SEND HARM REDUCTION ISSUE TO PUBLIC

Abby Mayor Berates Fraser Health

Abbotsford council made it clear Monday night that it won't be making 
any decisions about the city's anti-harm reduction bylaw until it 
hears from city residents.

The council's discussion about the bylaw was limited but Abbotsford 
Mayor Bruce Banman took the opportunity to publicly chastise Fraser 
Health for its lack of detox facilities in the community.

City staff completed a technical review of the 2005 zoning bylaw 
banning the provision of services to drug addicts such as needle 
exchanges or safe injection site and presented a report at the Monday 
council meeting.

Harm reduction advocates and critics also addressed the council about 
whether it should retain or toss the controversial bylaw.

David Portesi, public health director for Fraser Health, attended to 
give the council an overview of a recently proposed needle exchange 
program should council repeal the amendment in the zoning bylaw.

The first phase of the proposed plan would involve engaging community 
stakeholders such as the police, the city and service providers, Portesi said.

Should the plan proceed, it did not involve setting up a supervised 
injection site in Abbotsford, he stressed.

Coun. Henry Braun asked Portesi whether or not the proposal would 
also include detox or rehabilitation services.

Portesi noted he could not speak to any additional future detox or 
treatment programs in Abbotsford as it fell under the mandate of a 
different branch of Fraser Health, with the Mental Health and 
Substance Use Services.

There are no fixed detox services in Abbotsford but mobile units 
serving the entire FHA region are available to attend private homes 
and residential beds, he added.

Banman, who has gone on record in favour of a needle exchange, 
appeared unsatisfied with the response.

"Fraser Health Authority needs to get its act together and there 
should be a representative here that could have answered that 
question, because detox is part of it," he said. "For Fraser Health 
to come here and not talk about detox with all the millions you're 
going to save by putting [harm reduction] in is, well quite frankly, 
it's insulting."

Banman also warned Fraser Health not to neglect consulting with 
stakeholders regarding future site locations for needle exchanges.

"You'd better do and it better be respectful discussion," he said. 
"Fraser Health in my opinion needs to bring its 'A' game a little 
better. To send this community into this mess, I'm not impressed."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom