A proposed overdose prevention site (OPS) drew a lot of questions from 91原创 City Council, with some councillors worried about the possible unintended side effects of setting up such a facility, while others said it was important to do it right, so people will actually use the provided safe space.

A Fraser Health Authority delegation appeared at council鈥檚 Monday, Feb. 22 meeting by videoconference to explain the proposed facility would serve both the City and Township, offering 鈥渨itnessed consumption,鈥� where people can take their drugs with someone present.

READ MORE: Overdose Prevention Site looking for 91原创 location to reduce deaths

Coun. Rudy Storteboom said he felt 鈥渢hreatened鈥� by the proposal and the potential impact on the City core if it is located there.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I鈥檓 alone in feeling especially anxious,鈥� Storteboom remarked.

鈥淲hy isn鈥檛 this in a hospital?鈥� Storteboom asked, saying he would prefer some kind of in-home service.

Dan Kipper, director of clinical programs for Fraser Health, promised there would be consultation before a location is picked.

鈥淲e want to work quite closely with the community,鈥� Kipper said.

Erin Gibson, manager of harm reduction for Fraser Health, said there are many 鈥渦nwitnessed injection sites鈥� and the OPS offers a safer alternative.

Coun. Gayle Martin commented that the proposal sounded like a safe injection site to her, and she couldn鈥檛 see people leaving their home to use it.

鈥淲e do not want it in our downtown core,鈥� Martin warned.

Councillor Paul Albrecht was curious about the FHA decision to have one site serving both City and Township.

鈥淲hy not one in both?鈥� Albrecht proposed.

Albrecht asked if the authority could 鈥済et the brakes pumped鈥� and delay the project.

鈥楾here are a little too many unknowns,鈥� Albrecht remarked.

Coun. Nathan Pachal, who said he had his father鈥檚 permission, described his dad鈥檚 struggle with substance abuse, and how his parent once overdosed during a camping trip.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think he chose to use the way he did,鈥� Pachal observed.

鈥淵ou don鈥檛 make a conscious decision to hurt your family.鈥�

It is important that clients of the OPS don鈥檛 feel stigmatized, Pachal told the delegation.

鈥淗ow will you create a space that feels safe for people like my dad?鈥� Pachal asked

鈥淚t鈥檚 key that we get that right.鈥�

In his , Pachal later commented that he knows firsthand 鈥渢hat there is a lot of shame around drug addiction.鈥�

Dr. Fernando Mejia, a medical health officer with FHA, described the site as 鈥渙pening the door鈥� to people who would not be treated otherwise.

鈥淲hat we are proposing here, is one tool, among the many that need to be implemented,鈥� Mejia told council.

Coun. Rosemary Wallace described the site as 鈥榥ecessary.鈥�

鈥淚 see this as saving lives,鈥� Wallace said.

鈥淚 see this as mending families.鈥�

Coun. Teri James said choosing the right location was essential, and it should not be too central.

鈥淚鈥檓 not going to suggest it be tucked away in a corner like a dirty little secret,鈥� Jame added.

Mayor Val van den Broek called the site 鈥渏ust one part of the puzzle鈥� that needs to be solved to affect the current overdose epidemic.

READ MORE: Toxic drugs claim 39 lives in 2020 in 91原创

More people died of toxic drugs and overdoses in 91原创 in 2020 than in any previous year, according to a report by the B.C. Coroner鈥檚 Service released on Thursday Feb 11.

There were 39 illicit drug toxicity deaths last year, up from 22 in 2019.