In case you missed it! There’s always media interest in what we do at PHS. . . in June, there was significant coverage of the relocation of our temporary emergency shelter in Victoria, and Insite is the model for supervised injection sites around the world.
Here are some of the news highlights from June:
Save-On-Foods arena residents moving into Mount Tolmie hospital building in Saanich
Times Colonist
June 7, 2021
An announcement that PHS would be moving the emergency shelter Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre to the former Mount Tolmie long-term care hospital in Saanich. Avery Taylor, Director of Operations in Victoria, was briefly quoted: “I think it’ll be an excellent location.” Read on. . .
Victoria shelter residents to transition to temporary housing space in former Saanich hospital
CBC News
June 9, 2021
An interview with Saanich Mayor Fred Haynes on the forthcoming move of up to 35 arena shelter guests to the vacant Mount Tolmie Hospital. He said: “These people who are in housing, they’re the sons and daughters, the brothers and sisters of many residents. So it seems to me that we have to be able to take a holistic approach to housing solutions.” Read on. . .
Opinion: Harm reduction and drug addiction recovery must go hand-in-hand
Vancouver is Awesome
June 9, 2021
Column by Guy Felicella on how he obtained recovery through harm reduction, and how it’s incorrect to separate the two. He recounts the importance of Insite in his personal journey: “Recovery from my drug use wasn’t a straight path for me, though. Every time I tried to stop, I eventually started using drugs again. I would find my way back to Insite. The staff didn’t judge me, they would just say, ‘Next time, you’ll succeed,’ knowing that my desire was to stop using drugs but understanding how hard that is. After a while, I would find my way back to treatment – and be welcomed back there, too. It was a pattern that repeated itself over and over again. For me, this is how harm reduction and recovery work together. Because addiction is a relapsing condition, they need to work hand-in-hand.” Read on. . .
24 people move from arena into former Mount Tolmie Hospital
Times Colonist
June 20, 2021
A follow-up on the PHS emergency shelter move to the former Mount Tolmie long-term care hospital in Saanich. It details that 19 people moved from the arena during its final week of operation to permanent supportive or independent housing, and 24 guests are settling into the new shelter. Victoria Director of Operations Avery Taylor is quoted: “’We feel it’s gotten off to a really, really good start and you know, we’re super, super thankful to the neighbours that have been so welcoming,’ he said. Taylor said there are always anxious neighbours when a new shelter opens, but he has been surprised by the number of people dropping off cookies, cakes and cards to welcome the shelter residents. That sense of welcome has a big impact on the residents, he said.” Read on. . .
New York falters on fentanyl and the opioid crisis
NY Daily News
June 23, 2021
A call to create an overdose prevention centre in New York to save lives, illustrated by a picture of Insite. Read on. . .
