Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart says he's encouraged by the federal health minister's commitment to work with the city after it asked that possession of small amounts of illicit drugs be decriminalized.
Stewart has received a letter from Patty Hajdu in response to city council voting unanimously in November to request an exemption to federal drug laws during the overdose crisis.
And an update on overdoses: Ottawa has agreed to open formal discussions on our plan to decriminalize simple possession in Vancouver in order to connect neighbours to healthcare & save lives.
— Kennedy Stewart (@kennedystewart) January 27, 2021
Thank you Min @PattyHajdu for your dedication on this.https://t.co/GKNnMfkuga #vanpoli
In the letter, Hajdu says 184 people in Vancouver died from overdoses between last July and November alone, and the crisis has been exacerbated by COVID-19.
Hajdu says Health Canada will work with the city and the local health authority to "better understand" the proposal and identify options for the city.
Stewart says the high number of overdose deaths during a pandemic has resulted in an "absolute catastrophe," adding that he recently lost a family member to an overdose.
He says the city and the health authority are also awaiting a questionnaire from the federal government seeking more details about its request, which will be returned with input from drug users.