Alternative treatments give addicts a chance

Posted inIn the News

Maintenance programs for cocaine and heroin users isn’t so different than giving meth to hyper-active children

Source: Vancouver Sun
Editorial Page, Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan’s plan to set up an alternative drug-treatment plan for 700 cocaine and crystal methamphetamine addicts might never come to fruition, but it’s something that should be seriously considered.
The plan might not see the light of day because the federal government has made it clear that it opposes any treatment or harm reduction programs that involve providing addicts with drugs. Last year, for example, the Conservatives refused to extend the life of the supervised injection site for another 31/2 years, despite the recommendations of scientists and Health Canada bureaucrats.

Mayor Sullivan backs substitution treatment

Posted inIn the News

Mayor Sam Sullivan is playing a leadership role in the formation of a group that is seeking a Health Canada exemption to allow ‘substitution treatment’ for people with chronic addictions. The exemption would allow doctors to prescribe legally available oral medications as substitutes for addictive illegal drugs.

Mayor Sullivan says the eventual goal of this form of treatment is to get people off drugs. “Prescribing legally available medications provides people an opportunity to regain stability in their lives and ultimately a path to abstinence,” he said. “Recognizing that drug addiction is one of the root causes of property crime and public disorder, I believe that this new approach will also help to reduce harm to the community.”

Vancouver pilots new Municipal Ticket Information system

Posted inIn the News

The City of Vancouver is piloting a new Municipal Ticket Information system (MTI), and Mayor Sam Sullivan is applauding the project as an important mechanism for helping to achieve the objectives of the proposed Project Civil City initiative.

The new MTI system will enable City of Vancouver Bylaw Officers and Vancouver Police Officers to issue and serve tickets on the spot to the accused.

Vancouver streets home to Canada’s homeless, Mayor tells Ottawa

Posted inIn the News

Mayor Sam Sullivan today concluded two-and-a-half days of meetings with federal Ministers, MPs and Senators in Ottawa, where he continued to put Vancouver’s most pressing needs on the federal agenda in advance of the 2007 budget.

Homelessness, drug addiction and public disorder were among the key issues raised by Mayor Sullivan, who has met with elected representatives from all federal political parties in Vancouver and Ottawa over the past week. He was accompanied to Ottawa by Councillor Suzanne Anton and Vancouver Police Inspector Scott Thompson.

Project Civil City: Letter from Mayor Sullivan

Posted inIn the News

Dear Citizens of Vancouver,

As your Mayor, I am pleased to present you with a framework for action to address the issue of public disorder in the City of Vancouver. I am bringing forward a proposal to City Council which sets out ambitious targets, describes our most pressing challenges, and introduces a number of potential solutions.

Project Civil City document (PDF) Click to open

This initiative, entitled Project Civil City, was produced in partnership with Councillor Kim Capri, a trained criminologist with 20 years of experience and formerly Executive Director of the BC Crime Prevention Association, whom I have asked to take a lead role in Council on this major public policy issue.

Project Civil City, along with policy initiatives our Council is undertaking in the areas of economic development and the arts, is vital to the successful implementation of EcoDensity in the City of Vancouver. We want our citizens to choose to live in high-quality, ecodense neighbourhoods. This requires a commitment to minimize public nuisances and improve public order and community safety.

Put housing on the ballot in 2008

Posted inIn the News

Sullivan proposes new regional solutions to GVRD Mayors

Mayor Sam Sullivan is calling on Mayors in the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) to put the issue of municipal funding for social housing on the ballot in the next civic election in 2008.

“If we are going to find long-term solutions to the housing crisis facing our region, it is clear we need to support a sustainable plan that will provide new funding for us to partner with the Province,” said Mayor Sullivan. “By putting a housing question on the ballot, we will give every citizen and business owner in the GVRD a chance to voice their support for our most vulnerable living throughout the region.

“Mayor Sullivan also highlighted several components of a motion that will be brought forward by Councillor Kim Capri at the next GVRD Housing Committee meeting. This includes the establishment of a new Provincial/Municipal Social Housing Protocol. This Protocol will serve to clarify what role, given the limited tax base of cities, municipalities can play to facilitate the development of social housing within their communities.

Council moves forward on actions to combat homelessness

Posted inIn the News

Mayor hosts roundtable meeting with service providers

Mayor Sam Sullivan has commended yesterday’s decision of City Council to proceed with immediate actions to encourage new social housing development, increase the number of emergency shelter beds for the homeless in Vancouver, and invest in the creation of 44 new social housing units in the former Pennsylvania Hotel in the Downtown Eastside.

The Mayor shared information about the new actions with a group of 20 community organizations and service providers who took part in a roundtable meeting on homelessness in the Mayor’s Office this morning. The group discussed ways in which the City, Regional, Provincial and Federal governments can work collaboratively with community groups and agencies in the inner city to provide emergency shelter and services.

Mayor Sullivan seeks emergency funding to support Vancouver’s homeless population

Posted inIn the News

In advance of a debate regarding a five-point proposal by Councillor Kim Capri to deal with Vancouver’s homeless crisis, Mayor Sam Sullivan is calling upon the Provincial government to provide emergency funding to support our most vulnerable population this winter.

“This is only a first step in helping to meet the immediate needs of the approximately one thousand homeless people wandering Vancouver’s streets on a nightly basis,” says Mayor Sullivan. “Our request for emergency funding to prevent any further SROs from closing in the next six months will go a long way in securing housing for those at risk of homelessness.”