The day after protesters took to Richmond City Hall to oppose council’s motion to explore an overdose prevention site nearby the hospital, the premier’s office directed Vancouver Coastal Health to issue a statement to media and the public that such a site would not be moving forward.
“The decision before the intervention of the premier’s office was based on science, based on the doctors, based on the interpretation of the data; all of that was based on their expertise until it was politicized and it became a different set of circumstances,” said Heed, asking: “Have we politicized science now when it comes to saving people's lives? Come on now.”
An election is scheduled for Oct. 19 and the BC NDP has hold of three seats in Richmond it did not possess prior to the last election.The next morning, on Feb.
Deputy Chief Medical Health Officer Mark Lysyshyn wrote on Feb. 9, in response to concerns raised by the Richmond Hospital Foundation, “that we are not recommending establishing an SCS open to the public within the hospital. Instead, we will be recommending offering overdose prevention services at community sites that already serve the population at risk of overdose.”