Trail city council is expected to discuss whether it supports establishing an overdose prevention site in the community.
It follows the receipt of a letter from the Trail Community Action Team and a notice of motion from councillor Nick Cashol.
Action team chair Tammy McLean wrote to council regarding a recent increase in overdose deaths in Trail, which she said is “deeply troubling and reflects a growing need for strengthened support systems within our community.”
She urged council to advocate for expanded access to harm reduction services, including an overdose prevention site and increased availability to treatment and recovery programs.
Cashol’s notice of motion asks that “Council discuss and determine whether it supports the establishment of an overdose prevention site, either at a fixed location or as a mobile overdose prevention service in the City of Trail.”
“This is a policy decision that this council has never discussed,” Cashol said. “I realize that Interior Health is the agency that installs these, that runs these. But I think we need to have a discussion around it. I think it’s important that we know what the will of council is surrounding an overdose prevention site.”
Cashol said the outcome of their discussion can be conveyed to Interior Health.
Notices of motion are usually taken up at the next council meeting, which in this case is on Monday. But a notice on the agenda indicates that the discussion is expected to be postponed until May 25.
Council previously removed a section from its draft official community plan dealing with supportive housing and drug treatment sites until it could have a discussion about the matter.
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