B.C.’s network of 50 overdose prevention sites would be eliminated under a federal Conservative government, Leader Pierre Poilievre said Sunday, as part of a campaign pledge that could dramatically change the province’s response to the overdose crisis.
Poilievre made the announcement in New Westminster, calling British Columbia the country’s epicentre of failed addictions policy.
“These are radical and extremely bizarre social experiments, and British Columbia has been ground zero for this massive, deadly Liberal failure,” he said.
“British Columbia is probably the worst place for fentanyl overdoses in the world as a direct result of Liberal-NDP policies.”
The Conservative proposal pledges to remove federal exemptions for overdose prevention sites under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act by Sept. 30.
Instead, overdose prevention sites would have around five months to apply to convert to supervised consumption sites, which would also be given stricter new rules for things like mandatory registration, direct connection to recovery services. Presumably, many overdose prevention sites, which operate with much lower requirements, would meet the new higher threshold and cease to operate.
“We know that the drug consumption sites have been a total disaster here in British Columbia and around the world,” said Poilievre.
“We know the research shows that they do not save lives or protect the community. We also know that they cause a massive risk when they are near children.”
B.C. has approximately 50 overdose prevention sites, which are temporary locations where peers and non-medical staff can help with drug testing, witness drug use and respond in case of an overdose. The province has put more energy into this model, due to how quickly they can be opened and moved.
Supervised consumption sites have permanent locations, better-trained staff, wrap-around services and require more detailed federal-provincial co-operation and reporting.
The Conservatives propose to suspend any new supervised consumption sites “until clear evidence demonstrates they support recovery,” as well as place new rules on existing ones for registration of users, direct connection to recovery services and a ban on locations within 500 metres of places with children and seniors.
If enacted, the policies would put a Conservative federal government on a direct collision course with the BC NDP government on drug policy.
British Columbia has been steadily creating overdose prevention sites using emergency powers activated when the provincial health officer declared the addictions crisis a public health emergency in 2016.
Premier David Eby has fought to preserve them, despite public pushback they can lead to street disorder, crime, and open drug use that affects neighbouring residents and businesses. However, he stopped short of plans to add overdose prevention sites to public hospitals last year, amid criticism that increased open drug use inside health facilities was making staff and patients feel unsafe.
More than 16,000 people have died from toxic drugs in B.C. The coroner’s service has reported four months of slightly declining overall deaths, but also noticed in its most recent update last month that deaths amongst men are increasing and deaths in some communities, such as Fraser and Interior health, are also on the rise.
The federal Liberals have promised a “comprehensive strategy to address problematic substance use to end the opioids crisis” but not provided much detail on the framework.
The Conservative platform also calls for the full end of decriminalization, a program B.C. pioneered in 2023 with participation from the federal Liberal government.
Poilievre made frequent trips to B.C. in the last two years, demanding decriminalization be repealed. The Eby government at first resisted, saying it would stigmatize drug users, but then reversed that position due to public backlash and recriminalized public drug possession prior to the 2024 provincial election.
Poilievre, whose party is hoping to make gains in British Columbia seats at the expense of the NDP and Liberal parties, highlighted Eby’s reluctant moves that ultimately aligned with his position.
“I know that there has been a big change in the debate,” he said. “I mean, when I first made these points two years ago, everybody said it was very controversial.
“But I persisted, and now it seems that the British Columbia government is changing its position and moving slowly towards recovery. And I applaud that.”
Rob Shaw has spent more than 17 years covering B.C. politics, now reporting for CHEK News and writing for Glacier Media. He is the co-author of the national bestselling book A Matter of Confidence, host of the weekly podcast Political Capital, and a regular guest on CBC Radio.
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