Campbell River council has backed away from imposing an immediate ban on consuming controlled drugs on municipal property.
On Thursday, councillors voted to abandon plans for final adoption of bylaws enabling the ban. The city had received a Feb. 10 letter from medical health officer Dr. Charmaine Enns, who said the prohibition would have “direct and deleterious public health impacts.”
The city also found itself facing a legal challenge launched this month by Vancouver-based legal advocacy group Pivot Legal Society.
There was little discussion amongst council about its change of direction. Coun. Susan Sinnott made a successful motion that “staff report back on further options to address the consumption of controlled substances in our public spaces.”
Council had initially planned to pass changes to the city’s public nuisance bylaw prohibiting use of drugs on municipal roads, facilities, parks and other public spaces, with violations carrying a penalty of $200.
The changes, which went to third reading, were prompted by a three-year provincial pilot project that began Feb. 1 allowing people to carry up to 2.5 grams of drugs such as heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine for personal use.
Enns initially outlined her concerns in a Jan. 25 letter but council chose not to receive it prior to passing early readings for bylaw changes. In her Feb. 10 letter, Enns called that a “concerning decision” by council. She pointed out that while council is not obliged to follow her advice, it is required to consider what she has to say, under rules set out in the Public Health Act.
cjwilson@timescolonist.com
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