One of two overdose prevention service (OPS) sites shut down Tuesday (March 31) in Chilliwack, which is expected to create ripple effects since there is nothing to replace it yet.
The OPS near downtown Chilliwack, had been providing supervised consumption and other harm reduction services funded by Fraser Health, alongside the overnight homeless shelter at the Wellness Centre since 2023, run by the Lookout Housing and Health Society.
The drop-in day use portion and the OPS will be no more, but the overnight shelter will continue at the site until June 30, when they will be transitioning to BC Housing’s newly constructed Rowat-Trethewey complex, down the street, with shelter beds and supportive housing.
City of Chilliwack officials said in a statement that the location of the Wellness Centre was “never intended” to be permanent.
In March 2024, city council approved a temporary policy resolution not to enforce the zoning bylaw or BC Building Code infractions to accommodate the operations of the Wellness Centre until the end of 2026.
“Over the last few months, a significant increase in the number of guests using the centre created safety concerns due to excessive occupancy loads and increased calls to the Chilliwack Fire Department,” said the statement from City of Chilliwack.
“As a result, in early February, council rescinded the 2024 policy resolution, and staff immediately began to work with the partners to seek compliance.”
Fraser Health officials knew that the shelter was temporary, so it was incumbent upon them to secure a permanent new location, city officials said.
“To ensure the safety of their clients, we have long encouraged Fraser Health to use a location they currently own that meets the BC Building Code and has the proper zoning for an overdose prevention service site,” said Chilliwack Mayor Ken Popove.
Fraser Health is “actively exploring options” to maintain access to overdose prevention and harm reduction services as the OPS ceased operation for good at the Trethewey location.
Fraser Health officials issued this statement regarding the closure:
“The toxic drug supply crisis continues to affect communities across the province.
“Fraser Health remains committed to saving lives by providing substance use treatment and education, and by partnering with community organizations to deliver overdose prevention and harm reduction services.
“Together, we help people access essential supports and services and connect to care.”
Fraser Health said the OPS also functioned as a central location for “in-reach services” where teams could reliably connect with clients inside the Wellness Centre.
“We recognize the important role the Chilliwack Wellness Centre Overdose Prevention Service plays in supporting people who rely on these services,” according to the Fraser Health statement. “The closure could displace individuals into the surrounding community, increase substance use in isolation, and reduce the timely response to toxic drug events and medical emergencies.”
Officials say Fraser Health’s Medical Health Officer has written to the City of Chilliwack in support of keeping the site open.
“Fraser Health is actively exploring options to maintain access to overdose prevention services in Chilliwack.”
The last day of operations was March 31 and the closure will leave one other OPS in downtown Chilliwack, at the Ruth & Naomi’s Mission shelter on Margaret Avenue.
Scott Gaglardi, executive director of Ruth & Naomi’s Mission, is concerned about the expected upsurge in demand on RAN that it will cause.
“We were really disappointed to hear about the closure of the Wellness Centre and OPS, and we’re concerned that an already vulnerable population will see a reduction in services.
“We’re expecting to see more people coming through our OPS, and while we’re preparing our team as best we can, concentrating this level of need in one space will bring some real challenges.”
That said the work of overdose prevention is “vital” to what they do at RAN, which has an upcoming fundraiser to support a future medically supervised detox program at the mission.
“We believe an OPS is a vital part of how we respond to the toxic drug supply,” Gaglardi said. “It creates connection, keeps people alive, and opens the door for people to take steps toward recovery.”
The 30-bed Wellness Centre shelter opened in 2023 through collaborative agencies who took action in order to fill an urgent need at the time in Chilliwack to accommodate those precariously housed and living rough downtown and in encampments. The building was renovated to create a temporary 24/7 overnight shelter with 30 bunk beds, along with drop-in day use, harm reduction and the OPS happening on-site.