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The Province
2 days ago
- Health
- The Province
Motion expected in Nanaimo on asking for closure of safe injection site
Coun. Ian Thorpe is expected to bring forward the motion at Nanaimo's council meeting today that will ask to "formally request" Island Health to close the site Published Jul 28, 2025 • Last updated 2 hours ago • 1 minute read Leonard Krog, mayor of Nanaimo Photo by Credit: City of Nanaimo Council in Nanaimo is scheduled to hear a motion that could result in the city asking a provincial health authority to close a local overdose prevention site. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Coun. Ian Thorpe is expected to bring forward the motion at Nanaimo's council meeting today that will ask to 'formally request' Island Health to close the site on Albert Street, next to city hall. Mayor Leonard Krog says he expects the motion to be debated and deferred to enable experts and those with an interest on the issue to come before council at a later time before a decision is made. The site has generated enough concerns about disorder and violence nearby that city staff previously proposed building a 1.8-metre-high fence that was intended to protect those at city hall. Nanaimo council decided against the proposal at a committee meeting earlier this month, with Krog saying he was unsure about the fence's effectiveness as well as the 'really problematic message' it would send about the challenges of disorder in the area. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Krog says in response to today's scheduled motion that while overdose prevention sites 'unquestionably saves lives,' the move reflects 'increasing concern and frustration' for many residents who are unsure about the facility's effectiveness. 'In a time of scarce resources, I think many people are questioning whether or not those resources could be expended and indeed save more lives in other aspects of dealing with our street disorder addiction issues,' he says. Read More Sports Vancouver Canucks News Vancouver Whitecaps NHL
CTV News
2 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
Motion expected in Nanaimo, B.C., on asking for closure of safe injection site
Nanaimo, B.C., Mayor Leonard Korg, then a B.C. New Democrat MLA, after winning as mayor following the municipal election in on Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward Council in Nanaimo, B.C., is scheduled to hear a motion that could result in the city asking a provincial health authority to close a local overdose prevention site. Coun. Ian Thorpe is expected to bring forward the motion at Nanaimo's council meeting today that will ask to 'formally request' Island Health to close the site on Albert Street, next to city hall. Mayor Leonard Krog says he expects the motion to be debated and deferred to enable experts and those with an interest on the issue to come before council at a later time before a decision is made. The site has generated enough concerns about disorder and violence nearby that city staff previously proposed building a 1.8-metre-high fence that was intended to protect those at city hall. Nanaimo council decided against the proposal at a committee meeting earlier this month, with Krog saying he was unsure about the fence's effectiveness as well as the 'really problematic message' it would send about the challenges of disorder in the area. Krog says in response to today's scheduled motion that while overdose prevention sites 'unquestionably saves lives,' the move reflects 'increasing concern and frustration' for many residents who are unsure about the facility's effectiveness. 'In a time of scarce resources, I think many people are questioning whether or not those resources could be expended and indeed save more lives in other aspects of dealing with our street disorder addiction issues,' he says. This report by Chuck Chiang, The Canadian Press, was first published July 28, 2025.
CTV News
3 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
Nanaimo, B.C., councillor's motion proposes asking for closure of safe injection site
The City of Nanaimo is seen in this file photo. ( A city councillor in Nanaimo, B.C., is expected to push the city to reach out to a B.C. health authority in a bid to close the overdose prevention site next to city hall. The agenda for Monday's council meeting says Coun. Ian Thorpe will bring forward a motion, asking council to 'formally request' that Island Health close the supervised drug consumption site on Albert Street. Thorpe said during Nanaimo's July 21 council meeting that he planned to put forward a motion that tells the provincial government that the city has 'had enough' of local disorder. The motion comes after council decided at a July 16 committee meeting against building a 1.8-metre-high fence proposed by city staff aimed at protecting those at city hall from what they said was violence and disorder associated with the overdose prevention site. Mayor Leonard Krog said earlier this month that the proposed fence may not have made a 'real difference' to workers subjected to intimidation and harassment while sending a 'really problematic message' about how to deal with disorder in the area. The fence came with an estimated cost of $412,000 before it was rejected at the committee meeting. This report by Chuck Chiang of The Canadian Press was first published July 26, 2025.
National Post
22-07-2025
- Politics
- National Post
Jamie Sarkonak: Nanaimo, where complaining about feces-drenched drug zones is all you can do
Article content RCMP Constable Adam Taylor explained to the finance committee that the force is held back by federal rules that allow the possession of up to 2.5 grams of illegal drugs, which prevent them from making arrests. (Federal decriminalization efforts have caused similar front-line problems in Sarnia, Ont., to the great frustration of locals). Article content 'Our stance right now is if they are using it in public and it's not grossly over (the federal exemption), it's what we call a 'no case seizure,'' Taylor explained. 'They are arrested, we search them, we seize the drugs, and if it's a small amount, it's just sent with a request to Health Canada to have them destroyed.' Article content To that, Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog asked: 'Is it fair to say … (that) it is practically speaking impossible for the police to arrest folks in a meaningful way for drug use in a public place?' Article content The officer's reply? 'Yes.' Article content The centre, as with many others of its type, does help people. It houses the homeless overnight, and, anecdotally, the city reports that it's connected some individuals with addiction treatment. But, to accomplish all this, it's transformed the surrounding area into a free-range homeless zone rooted to a few indoor service providers. Article content Article content As for whether any of this is improving overdose statistics long-term, it's not optimistic: Nanaimo's rate tripled from 500 in 2016 to 1,500 in 2024, according to provincial data. It's true that 2024 was better than 2023, which saw 2,500 deaths, but plenty more progress needs to be made before the city can declare victory. Article content Similar stories of urban devastation crop up across the country. In Sarnia, in Hamilton, Ont. and in Kitchener, Ont., homeless encampments have become court-entrenched features, with judges ruling that insufficient shelter space renders camp-clearing a Charter violation — with no thought for the general public, of course. In Vancouver, the scene is so bad that Crown prosecutors, whose offices are located in the midst of the maelstrom, are begging to move. Article content In Nanaimo, authorities are now considering moving the Hub in light of resident feedback, but the city's social planning manager wasn't optimistic that a new location could be found. Of course, simply closing the thing isn't an option — it never is. Article content That's Canada, 2025: instead of arresting the people whose crime and chaos destroy community for everyone else, or at least isolating them in facilities for people who can't take care of themselves (which the homeless and addicted can't), we shrug. Whether their problems surface before city councils or courts, the well-being of everyday, society-contributing, city residents remains a low priority. Article content
CTV News
17-07-2025
- Health
- CTV News
City councillors in Nanaimo, B.C., reject plan for fence to protect municipal staff
Nanaimo's council has decided not to proceed with a plan to build a fence to protect city hall staff from disorder associated with an overdose prevention site next door. City staff had proposed a 'robust' 1.8-metre-high fence to protect employees from 'congregations' of people at the site, saying workers had been subjected to intimidation and harassment. But a committee meeting on Wednesday decided there would be 'no recommendation for action' on the proposal, which had an estimated price tag of $412, 000. Mayor Leonard Krog says he 'carefully considered' the proposal but the proposal is now 'dead.' He says he wasn't satisfied the fence 'would make any real difference' for safety, adding that the province needs to invest more resources to address mental health issues. Coun. Hilary Eastmure says she voted against the fencing proposal, because it would have created a 'false sense of safety' that would have sent a 'really problematic message' without solving problems in the area. This report by Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press, was first published July 16, 2025.
