City will study 'sharps'

Photo: Colin Dacre

A "sharps" disposal bin on the 200 block Main Street public washrooms

The City of Penticton is embarking on what is expected to be a four-month-long study on how it can regulate the distribution of needles in the city.

The wide-reaching review by city staff will explore options to reduce discarded syringes in the community, an issue thrust into the spotlight by reports of a young girl being poked by a needle last month at Skaha Lake Park.

Coun. Katie Robinson brought the motion to the floor.

“It’s meant to provide a path forward, to research all options. Not just one or two, but all options for the distribution and collection of sharps in our community,” she said. “This may include some new legislation, might include new bylaws, possibly even overdose prevention sites.”

It’s not clear at this point if Penticton even has the authority to regulate local needle distribution, a program delivered by the provincial government and managed by the B.C. Centre for Disease Control. 

South Okanagan Women in Need Society executive director Debbie Scarborough urged city staff to examine best practices when it comes to harm reduction.

“I think when we are talking about harm reduction, if we make it safe for those that are using, we are actually making it safer for everyone,” she said, referring to reducing the rates of HIV and hepatitis in the general population.

She shared an anecdote about a young Penticton man who died of a drug overdose.

“Because he didn’t have Hep C or HIV, his organs were used to save four individuals lives,” she said.

Director of development services Anthony Haddad said the review will likely involve work or multiple city departments and a legal opinion. 

Council voted unanimously to approve the study.