Here's what British Columbians think about drug consumption sites
A recent poll asked British Columbians what they think of drug consumption sites, with many indicating that they think the provincial government has mishandled the toxic drug and overdose crisis.
Ipsos, on behalf of Neighbours of 900 Helmcken, a group of residents and businesses who oppose an overdose prevention site in their neighbourhood, surveyed 801 B.C. residents on their opinion on “drug consumption sites.”
The polling company defined drug consumption sites as “facilities where people can use pre-obtained drugs under the supervision of trained staff. They are sometimes called overdose prevention sites (OPS) or safe injection sites.”
Ipsos conducted the poll between July 13 and 17, finding that most respondents reported that drug consumption sites have worsened the overall addiction crisis (58 per cent), visible drug use in surrounding areas (57 per cent), the amount of crime and street disorder in surrounding areas (57 per cent), and the level of community safety in surrounding areas (54 per cent).
Google Maps
Seventy-three per cent said they agree that money spent on these sites could be better used for treatment and recovery services.
Dr. Julian Somers, a professor of health sciences at Simon Fraser University and an expert in substance use and mental health, called the results of the poll “quite remarkable.”
He said that while the B.C. public trusted that government was following evidence a few years ago to mitigate the toxic drug and overdose crisis, “that mood has completely changed.”
Since B.C. first declared the toxic-drug crisis a public health emergency in 2016, illicit drugs have been the leading cause of death in B.C. for people aged 10 to 59.
B.C.’s minister of health, Josie Osborne, has previously stated that it’s “critical that people at risk of overdose have access to timely supports and services that save lives and help prevent serious harms, including brain injury.”
B.C issued a ministerial order in 2016, which directed all regional health boards and B.C. Emergency Health Services to have overdose prevention services “in any place required.”
As of 2025, B.C. had 58 overdose prevention services or supervised consumption sites. They also issued new minimum standards for all OPS facilities to ensure they are good neighbours.
But Dr. Somers said that drug consumption sites are limited in the services that they deliver. He said that the people who do visit them still only use a minority of their drugs at the sites, and that they still tend to have a range of unmet social needs — like housing insecurity, unemployment, mental illness, and trauma.
Dr. Somers has previously led a randomized controlled trial with 500 people experiencing severe homelessness, addiction, and mental illness. They assigned these people to receive “recovery-oriented intervention,” which focuses on people’s choices, like where they want to live and what they want to do.
He said they had a 24/7 team to support them and help them pursue their objectives for social reintegration. Common objectives included people wanting to overcome their addiction and parents wishing to reconcile with their kids.
Researchers found that compared to the current services Vancouver has, there was 71 per cent less crime, 45 per cent fewer medical emergencies, and improvements to quality of life.
“There’s no scientific or humanistic argument in favour of SROs [single room occupancy], consumption sites or ‘low barrier’ congregate housing for people with concurrent disorders, who overwhelmingly prefer (from meta-analysis) healthy independent housing. And the results are clearly superior from RCTs [randomized controlled trials] conducted in our own backyard,” Dr. Somers told Daily Hive.
Response from B.C.’s Ministry of Health
However, B.C.’s Ministry of Health told Daily Hive that its focus is “expanding access to care across the entire continuum.”
This includes “prevention, treatment, recovery, mental-health supports, supportive housing, complex care, involuntary care where appropriate, and life-saving overdose prevention services,” the Ministry wrote.
It added that B.C. invested $1.5 billion in Budget 2023 to reduce homelessness and expand mental health and addiction care, which includes connecting people with treatment.
Further, the Ministry said that VCH is expanding its mental health crisis services through the Car 87/88 program, which pairs a mental health professional with a police officer to respond to calls for people experiencing a mental health crisis, as well as creating two non-police de-escalation teams.
“There is no single solution to this crisis, which is why we continue to invest in a broad range of services that help people at every stage of their recovery journey,” the Ministry said.
Thomus Donaghy OPS
Neighbours of 900 Helmcken — the group that commissioned the survey on B.C.’s public perception of drug consumption site — are particularly concerned about the Thomus Donaghy OPS (TD OPS), which is meant to serve the Vancouver City Centre (which includes downtown, the West End, Fairview, False Creek, and parts of Kitsilano).
Businesses and residents near the proposed site for the TD OPS organized a press conference opposing it in May. (Hanna Hett/Daily Hive)
The TD OPS has yet to find a successful location: it first opened in 2021 at 1101 Seymour St., and closed in 2024 after the municipal government did not renew the lease due to controversy, including complaints of public disorder, strewn garbage and needles, crime and public safety issues, and sidewalk encampments.
The OPS then moved to Howe Street, which permanently closed on Jan. 31, 2026, with the Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) saying it was at the discretion of the property owner.
In early May 2026, VCH announced the third location for the TD OPS at 900 Helmcken St., across from the Sheraton Wall Centre. This decision immediately drew backlash from Vancouver’s mayor, business leaders, and residents, with many decrying that there had not been adequate consultation.
In late May, Minister of Health Josie Osborne announced an indefinite pause on the opening of the TD OPS at this location. While some local business owners and social media accounts have since raised concerns about some work happening at 900 Helmcken St., VCH told Daily Hive that it is “not proceeding with an overdose-prevention site at 900 Helmcken St. at this time, and is committed to engaging with stakeholders prior to opening any site in future.”
However, Daily Hive has also previously spoken with harm reduction and recovery advocate Guy Felicella, who pointed out that drug users are already in the neighbourhood, with or without the OPS.
Daily Hive has reached out to VCH with questions and will update the story when it responds.
With files from Kenneth Chan