Interior Health pulls plans on 1 of 2 planned overdose prevention sites in Kelowna

Interior Health now says it will not open an overdose prevention site at the Living Positive Resource Centre in Rutland.

The plan to do so was only unveiled on Tuesday, and proved unpopular with business owners in the neighbourhood.

“This is not the best place for that.  It’s too storefront, too retail and residential is right there,” Wendi Swarbrick, who owns WS Accounting Services on Asher Road, said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "This is not the best place for that.  It's too storefront, too retail and residential is right there," Wendi Swarbrick, who owns WS Accounting Services on Asher Road, said.

Two sites were set to open in Kelowna on Friday: one on Asher Road at the Living Positive Resource Centre and the other at the former Kelowna Health Centre on Ellis.

They were to be operated by Living Positive, an organization dedicated to harm reduction for vulnerable populations.

“Why haven’t any of us been asked what our thoughts are and what we think before this happens?” Kristy Vanderburg with Kristy’s Hot Tips nail salon – also on Asher Road – said.

But Friday afternoon, plans changed. Interior Health sent out a press release with little explanation for the turnabout.

“As we worked through the process, it became apparent that we would not be able to offer the service at this location,” the release said. “Interior Health is currently looking at other options for an overdose prevention site in Rutland.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "As we worked through the process, it became apparent that we would not be able to offer the service at this location," the release said. "Interior Health is currently looking at other options for an overdose prevention site in Rutland."

Interior Health is opening overdose prevention sites under a ministerial order issued by Health Minister Terry Lake.

In the face of increasing overdose deaths in B.C., a public health emergency was declared in April.

That allowed the minister to enact the order which gives BC Emergency Health Services and regional health authorities the ability to provide overdose prevention services, as necessary, on an emergency basis.

This means unlike the safe consumption sites Interior Health is considering, these sites do not need additional government approval or community consultation.

“They did not consult the people in this area because they know that people will be unhappy, they know the negative impact it will have on this area,” Swarbrick said.

The downtown overdose prevention site at the former Kelowna Health Centre is now operating and will continue to operate from Tuesday to Saturday, from noon to 7:30 p.m.

Other overdose prevention sites are opening up in the province, including three in Vancouver and others in Prince George, Victoria and Surrey.