Conservatives target supervised consumption sites, NDP promises rent control
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre has announced a new approach to harm reduction, focusing on preventing the opening of new supervised consumption sites and making it harder for existing sites to operate. Poilievre emphasized the need for a shift towards recovery options, such as detox facilities, treatment centers, and support organizations with a proven track record of success. The government would divert funding from supervised consumption sites and allocate $1 billion towards developing new recovery options.
Poilievre stated that organizations and interest groups involved in the distribution of high-powered opioids and harm-production programs would be cut off from federal funding. He highlighted the urgency of addressing the overdose crisis, which has claimed the lives of 50,000 individuals, by saving 50,000 more lives in their honor.
The Conservative government would prevent new supervised consumption sites from opening within 500 meters of schools, daycares, playgrounds, parks, or seniors’ homes. Poilievre also pledged to suspend the approval of new sites until clear evidence demonstrates their support for recovery. The government would end the temporary exemption to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act that allowed supervised consumption sites to operate without provincial approval.
Existing sites that do not pose a threat to community safety could continue to operate under new oversight rules. These sites would focus on connecting users with treatment options and support services to help them break their dependence and start their recovery journey. Poilievre criticized the current supervised consumption sites in British Columbia, labeling them as a “total disaster” and emphasizing the need for a different approach to recovery.
The Conservatives’ plan includes requiring supervised consumption sites to check health cards of all users, have licensed medical staff on-site, connect users with treatment, maintain cleanliness standards, and remove needles from the surrounding area. Each facility would undergo annual reviews, with those failing to meet federal standards given 30 days to comply or face closure.
Meanwhile, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh announced a plan to implement national rent control if elected. Singh emphasized the need to address the housing crisis by tying federal housing funding to rent controls and banning practices that displace tenants, such as fixed-term leases, renovictions, and demovictions. The NDP’s proposal would extend the conditions placed on the Liberal government’s Housing Accelerator Fund to protect renters and ensure long-term affordability in housing.
Singh’s plan includes bringing rent controls to federally regulated housing, banning rent price-fixing, and implementing new rules on rent increases and above-guideline rent hikes. The NDP aims to prevent homelessness and ensure that federal investments in housing result in sustainable affordability for Canadians.
Both the Conservative and NDP parties have outlined their strategies for addressing key issues, from harm reduction and addiction recovery to housing affordability and rent control. The upcoming election will determine which approach Canadians believe will best serve their needs and priorities.
