File photo (Image credit: CFJC Today).

By Aaron Schulze / James Peters

UBCM 2023

UBCM drug decriminalization panel garners interest from Kamloops council

Sep 19, 2023 | 10:13 AM

VANCOUVER — Drug decriminalization was a hot button issue to lead off the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) in Vancouver Monday (Sept. 18).

Speaking to CFJC Today, Kamloops councillor Katie Neustaeter – who spearheaded Kamloops council’s decision to ban drug use in public spaces in the city – says the panel presentation on drug decriminalization and public drug use packed a conference room at the Vancouver Convention Centre.

The opening session of the convention that featured B.C.’s provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry garnered enough interest from elected municipal officials that some were unable to be in the room.

“There’s not a single municipality that isn’t watching our resources drain away as we attempt to staunch the issue that really isn’t within our purview,” Neustaeter says. “We’ve heard over and over that it is unilaterally agreed that this is a health issue. I would have preferred to have seen that position more prominently within the conference and with assurances that everyone who wanted to be part of that conversation could be.”

Despite municipal official being able to submit questions, Neustaeter felt she left the presentation without a lot of new information from the province. She described the province as holding the line on how drug decriminalization has been presented and rolled out so far.

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“There were some direct, intelligent questions asked from a wide variety of communities that were very supported in the room. The core of it was, ‘here’s where we missed the mark,’” Neustaeter says. “What was more beneficial was when the panel happened from local elected figures. Large communities all the way to small, remote rural communities. My hope is that those who presented before from the provincial side of the table heard the concerns that were very clearly expressed and well articulated.”

Neustaeter acknowledged the B.C. government did ban the possession of illicit drugs in some public spaces in the province.

Going forward, Neustaeter says Kamloops council successfully applied for multiple meetings with B.C. ministers throughout UBCM to discuss drug decriminalization and public drug use. She says Kamloops council will also appeal to MLAs in opposition in the event they form government. Some of the topics she says council will want to discuss includes Kamloops receiving a complex care location and giving peace officer status to the City of Kamloops’ Community Service Officers

UBCM wraps up on Friday (Sept. 22).