Permanent drug-inhalation site opens in Victoria

A permanent drug-inhalation site has opened in downtown Victoria, in what health authorities say is the first indoor facility of its kind in North America.

The fully enclosed inhalation site at 941 Pandora Ave. replaces a temporary inhalation site which has operated across the street at 926 Pandora Ave. since November 2021.

Health authorities say the new service is in response to the growing number of fatalities reported among drug-users who smoke.

"The unpredictable poisoned drug supply continues to take lives at a tragic, unacceptable rate across B.C., including in Victoria,” Jennifer Whiteside, B.C.'s minister of mental health and addictions, said in a statement Thursday.

"More than half of the people who are dying consumed toxic drugs by smoking. This indoor inhalation service is part of our government's plan to continue increasing access to life-saving services and connecting more people to care."

Approximately 2,039 British Columbians died of toxic drugs in the first 10 months of the year, including 130 people in Greater Victoria, according to the latest data from the B.C. Coroners Service.

The permanent inhalation site is located alongside the Harbour safe-consumption site as part of a broader treatment and recovery centre that local health officials envision for the location.

"The new indoor inhalation space will be a significant component of Island Health's goal to reconfigure the Harbour into a wellness and recovery centre,” Island Health board chair Leah Hollins said.

"The wellness and recovery centre will be fully implemented in phases over the coming months and is based on the Cowichan Valley Wellness and Recovery site, which provides harm reduction, overdose prevention, access to medication-supported therapies and treatment, on-site basic health services and connection to Island Health on-site mental health and substance use services."

The new inhalation site can accommodate up to 24 drug-users at a time, and will continue to operate during the same hours as the temporary site – from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

The previous inhalation site accommodated an average of 700 visits per week, according to Island Health.

The new site's location underwent extensive renovations to minimize exposure to smoke for staff, clients and the public, according to health officials, as well as work to minimize the noise from the centre's large ventilation system.