Trail city council has put off discussing an overdose prevention site indefinitely, but will press again for more recovery beds in the West Kootenay.
The subject of an overdose prevention site was on the agenda tonight following a notice of motion introduced last month by councillor Nick Cashol, who wasn’t present for the discussion due to a family emergency. He wanted council to determine its support for such a facility, either at a fixed location or as a mobile service.
But after receiving confirmation from Interior Health that no such site is under consideration for Trail, councillor Paul Butler proposed not discussing it any further for now.
“Representatives of Interior Health have indicated that capital capacity, political support, and organizational willingness are not presently in place to advance such a discussion,” Butler said.
“Given those realities, I fail to see the value in dedicating council’s time to hypothetical discussions intending to gauge thought and feelings on matters that are not before us in any formal capacity.”
Butler suggested it’s out of their jurisdiction anyway, as health care delivery and addiction services are the responsibilty of the provincial government and Interior Health.
He said he was concerned that discussing the item in the absence of any proposal “serves little practical purpose other than creating unnecessary division, speculation, and public anxiety within the community.”
Butler also said introducing “emotionally charged hypothetical discussions, with no actionable outcome, risks deepening fractures rather than advancing meaningful governance.”
He added that he felt it would contribute to misinformation in the community and fuel “unnecessary fear mongering among residents and businesses” who would assume council is considering a proposal.
Council passed Butler’s motion without further discussion.
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, but now it’s unclear where or when that discussion might take place.
Although council didn’t discuss an overdose prevention site specifically tonight, they did have a separate, lengthy discussion about addictions treatment following a presentation from Interior Health representatives.
Councillor Thea Hanson said she was underwhelmed with the provincial government’s response to a joint resolution from Trail, Nelson, and Castlegar calling for a strategy to address issues around mental health, substance abuse, and public disorder.
Hanson said the government’s reply was too vague. She added an existing eight-bed treatment detox facility in Castlegar is not enough for the region.
“I have a family friend’s son who’s struggling with addiction right now,” she said.
“Six to eight months to get into a government funded bed in Cranbrook or $48,000 [for a private bed]. Kelowna? $20,000 or a six-month wait list for a government-funded bed. So I think we need to understand the system isn’t working. This isn’t a health care system. This system is where life-saving treatment depends on your bank account? That is not acceptable.”
Hanson asked that city staff be directed to work with Castlegar, Nelson, Interior Health, and the Ministry of Health to establish a task force focused on “addiction treatment, recovery capacity, and coordinated health care responses in the West Kootenay.” She said that task force should come up with a regional action plan. Council adopted Hanson’s motion.
Mayor Colleen Jones said she also expects to meet next week with her counterparts in Nelson and Castlegar to discuss the issue.
