Island Health plans to open new injection site

B.C. posts 165 suspected overdose deaths in January, a record for the month

As B.C. continues to post record numbers of overdose deaths, Island Health has announced plans to open another site in downtown Victoria where people can inject or inhale illegal substances under the supervision of trained staff.

The health authority is seeking bids from qualified agencies to run an overdose prevention service that will save lives, while providing pathways to treatment and recovery.

Island Health already funds two supervised-consumption and five overdose-prevention sites in Victoria, but some of those are only open to the residents of supportive-housing complexes.

Kelly Reid, director of mental-health and substance-use services on the South Island, said the agency recognized the need for another publicly available service — particularly one that can supervise people who inhale substances.

“We’ve got data that shows that approximately half of the overdoses in Victoria happen when people are smoking or inhaling the substances,” he said. “And yet our largest site, The Harbour, does not have inhalation services and it would be very difficult to implement that kind of service in that location.”

As well, Reid said Island Health has committed to providing services at multiple locations to improve access and serve people where they live.

“So for all those reasons, we think we need another publicly accessible option for people,” he said.

Island Health announced its plans one day after the B.C.

Coroners Service reported 165 suspected overdose deaths across the province in January – the highest number ever for that month and a seven per cent increase over December.

As in previous months, Victoria posted the third-highest number of deaths with 13, behind Surrey at 19 and Vancouver with 42. There were two deaths in Nanaimo.

Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe warned that the “already unstable” drug supply is becoming even deadlier, underscoring the urgent need for supervised consumption options, prescribing for safe supply, and accessible treatment and recovery services.

Katrina Jensen, executive director AVI Health and Community Services, welcomed plans for another overdose-prevention site in Victoria, given the ongoing deaths and the shortage of services for people who inhale drugs.

She noted that existing sites had to reduce services or close entirely due to COVID-19 distancing requirements. AVI shut down its own service because it didn’t have the space to operate safely.

“So it’s really important that we really offer a range of overdose-prevention services across the community,” she said.

Jensen added that it’s crucial that any overdose-prevention site provides other services as well, such as health care, counselling or a drop-in.

“Maybe the [overdose prevention service] is what gets them in the door — and the OPS is obviously very important – but we really see that need for wrap-around services.”

At the same time, Reid said Island Health is looking for ways to reach people who are using drugs in their homes and not accessing the overdose prevention sites.

The latest coroners’ statistics showed 85 per cent of drug overdoses in January occurred inside — 56 per cent in private residences and 30 per cent in social and supportive housing, shelters, hotels and other indoor locations.

About 13 per cent occurred outside in vehicles, sidewalks, streets and parks.

Reid said it isn’t feasible to have an overdose-prevention site in every building, so Island Health is exploring a new model where someone will sit with a person if they want to use drugs in their own room or residence.

“Obviously you’re still being monitored and watched, but in a little bit of a less invasive way, with this emergent model that we’re trying to develop.”