The majority of Richmond city council voted to support asking for a practicality study of a supervised consumption site in the city.
But this decision was met with jeers and shouts from audience members who had come out to voice opposition to the motion, initiated by Couns. Kash Heed and Laura Gillanders.
In the end, Couns. Chak Au and Alexa Loo voted against the motion.
Loo supported it last week at committee. But at Tuesday’s meeting, she cited information sent to her about a safe consumption site in Victoria with claims social disorder were caused by the site.
Richmond residents came out in droves on Monday night, first to rally against a safe consumption site and then to speak to city councillors against the motion.
Monday’s meeting was adjourned at 11 p.m. and continued on Tuesday evening.
Almost 100 speakers spoke in all, bringing up concerns about the normalization of drug use and safety of families.
"Your concerns.. will be addressed to the best of our ability," Heed said, addressing the audience after the public input.
Au said he would have wanted the process to be paused to hold an eight-week consultation period before dealing with this motion.
Coun. Laura Gillanders noted a supervised consumption site wouldn’t be built for years, given the permits needed from higher levels of government.
Furthermore, she added, “nothing will be built in Richmond without extensive consultation.”
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