Health Canada recently approved the first of two applications for new Supervised Injection Services (SIS) in the DTES  

There’s no doubt about it, Supervised Injection Services have faced their fair share of controversy. But they work. Our experience, and a wide evidence base, demonstrates that not only do Supervised Injection Services prevent harm and death from overdose, but that once clients engage with the health care system, they are more likely to pursue detox, substance use counseling and treatment services. They are also shown to prevent infections and the spread of disease such as HIV and Hepatitis C, which is why they are part of the VCH DTES Second Generation Strategy.

“Staff at the Ministry of Health and health authorities have been working very hard for several months to get approval from Health Canada for additional supervised consumption sites to combat the overdose crisis,” said Provincial Health Officer Dr. Perry Kendall. “We are very pleased to have received the first three approvals for new sites in the Lower Mainland [Fraser Health also received approval for two sites for Surrey]. With more than 3 million injections at Insite, and not one overdose death, we know these new sites will be a critical tool in our effort to save lives.”

Where will the new SIS be located (and when)?

The new service will be located in the DTES Mental Health and Substance Use Drop-In Centre, Powell Street Getaway*, (located at 528 Powell Street) where an Overdose Prevention Site has been operating since December 2016. The six supervised injection booths will be open 12 hours a day from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. The service is expected to be fully operational in June, once renovations are complete.

“We lost 216 mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, and friends last year to illicit drug overdoses in Vancouver,” says Dr. Patricia Daly, Chief Medical Health Officer, VCH. “This new supervised injection service will go a long way in helping to stem the fatalities that are plaguing our city.”

Future SIS

VCH has a second application for a supervised injection service at the future Heatley Integrated Health Centre (330 Heatley Street, Vancouver) that is still pending Health Canada approval.

In other great news… We also recently announced the opening of our new women’s only Overdose Prevention Site in the DTES. This is the first of its kind in B.C. Check out the article in VCH News – Vancouver.

* Operated by the Lookout Emergency Aid Society, Powell Street Getaway offers a safe space where clients can learn life skills such as vocational training, nutrition and harm reduction, and access psychosocial rehabilitation programs.