Vancouver's liberal approach to fentanyl crisis may be changing
VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Like San Francisco, fentanyl drove a surge in overdose numbers in Vancouver, British Columbia.
The Canadian province responded by pioneering a number of progressive drug policies like safe use sites and a so-called "safe supply" for users. But now, the government is signaling a significant change of course.
"As the drugs change, we've seen these impacts get more and more severe," Premier David Eby said recently. "And our response needs to evolve as well."
Eby was announcing a new plan to open highly secure involuntary care facilities for those with severe drug and mental health issues. And it is a significant change of course.
When overdose numbers soared, BC quite famously leaned into an array of harm reduction strategies; take home naloxone, safe use sites, a regulated safe supply for some users.
Advocates for those policies said they are saving lives.
"The BCC, the Center for Disease Control, has done modeling about the main interventions, and it shows that we are reducing about a third of the overall overdoses that are occurring," explained Mark Lysyshyn with Vancouver Coastal Health. "Of course you don't see those overdoses, because they are not happening. So we would see 1/3 more overdoses were we not doing those things."
Critics, however, have argued the province leaned too heavily in that direction and increased drug freedoms did not come with answers for those struggling with severe addiction.
"Harm reduction is very important," said BC Legislative Assembly member Elenore Sturko. "But harm reduction has to include the harms not only on the individual but the harms on our community as well."
So now a change of course, from the top, with a move towards hundreds of new beds for involuntary care.
"We know that the current response that we offer is not adequate," Eby said.
"Well, this is the final day of government before we enter a cycle of 28 days of campaigning and then the election for us here in British Columbia is October 19," Sturko told CBS News Bay Area.
Sturko, who is part of the opposition party, says the premier's move reflects an upcoming election, and public opinion in the wake of a recent high profile unprovoked attack in downtown Vancouver.
While she disagrees with specifics of the plan, she says there is consensus for change.
"We're talking about circumstances, which I think people in San Francisco have seen, where we have people who are in very severe condition due to their drug use," Sturko said. "Their lives are in danger, frankly, perhaps they're posing a wrist to other people as a result of psychosis and violence. People in BC have certainly reached a point where, look, we recognize that it's time for a change of direction, which is why I think you see our NDP government, which is a very left-leaning party. I'm a very right of center party. We've kind of, both sides now, really pushing for forms of involuntary care, just because it's the right thing to do."
CBS News Bay Area reached out to Premier Eby's office for comment but a spokesperson said no one was available.