Safe drug inhalation site in Vancouver to be evicted from Downtown Eastside location

One of Canada's only safe drug inhalation sites is set to be evicted in Vancouver, in a move that could impact up to 500 daily drug users amid a worsening toxic drug crisis.

The overdose prevention site, at 99 West Pender Street, is run by the Overdose Prevention Society (OPS) in the city's Downtown Eastside neighbourhood. It is an outdoor site located on a parking lot operated by private operator Impark.

The OPS was recently told its lease would expire on Mar. 31, with no alternative location yet confirmed. 

Sarah Blyth, executive director of the OPS, said the proposed eviction from the location at Pender Street would directly lead to deaths among people who use drugs.

"Some of the things that happen when you're moving, you know, you're losing people that don't know where to go," she said.

"We see up to 500 people a day there. We're able to help people with housing and health care. And you know, we've really been doing a great job at helping people on that site. So it's going to be very difficult for people."

The OPS location at the West Pender parking lot had been around for a year, according to Blyth, and features much-needed washroom facilities for the city's vulnerable population.

"We really just didn't think that [the lease] wouldn't be renewed," she said. "It's very stressful for folks because people don't know where we're going to go and it's a very short timeframe."

Over 2,000 people died due to poisoned drugs in B.C. last year, with 524 deaths recorded in Vancouver alone.

However, none of those deaths were recorded at safe consumption sites, according to the B.C. Coroners Service.

Blyth says she was told that Impark was evicting the OPS in favour of leasing the parking lot for film shoots. 

CBC News reached out to Impark and did not receive an answer by publication time.

City looking for permanent site

Blyth says the lack of a permanent location for the life-saving services at the inhalation site is a concern.

"It's very challenging to get into a space, no matter what kind of a good neighbour we are," she said.

"We have to have a landlord that's really compassionate and understanding of what we do. And ideally … the government would be our landlord. The City of Vancouver or B.C. Housing, because that would make more sense."

A spokesperson for the City of Vancouver said the city was "grateful" that Impark, and two other stakeholders at the West Pender site, had provided space to the OPS for over a year.

"The fixed term lease is ending on March 31st , which is the date laid out in the lease agreement," the spokesperson said.

"We are working with [Vancouver Coastal Health] to locate longer-term sites for the OPS, including outdoor inhalation tents and safe access to washrooms."

Blyth says Impark should be more generous and allow the OPS to stay, at least until they can find a new space.

"It's very, very, very challenging to get a good space, but it's also the worst time in the world for this crisis," she said.

"It's not a matter of whether we need the space — the space saves lives."