Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas

Image Credit: Submitted/Tom Dyas

Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas is holding off even considering a bylaw banning drugs in parks while he lobbies for the ban to be province-wide.

But based on comments B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix made to iNFOnews.ca this week, Dyas may be out of luck.

“This is a toxic drug crisis and this is one part of it,” Dix said. “There is a tendency to seek individual solutions. People sometimes point to one thing or another thing but we need it all.”

Dix said treatment, safer drug supplies and enforcement have to go along with decriminalization that came into effect in B.C. at the end of January.

The agreement with Health Canada is that the decriminalization does not apply to schools, child care facilities or airports.

Dyas, and other B.C. mayors, simply want parks added to that list.

READ MORE: No to drugs but yes to booze in Kelowna parks

iNFOnews.ca asked Dix repeatedly why parks could not just be added, rather than having each community draft its own bylaw but he refused to answer directly.

“We have people that work in public health, working on the ground, on these issues in every way and they’re focused on exactly the same thing as city councillors are,” he said. “It’s fair to say that guidance is required but remember, we need to do this in a way that keeps people safe and communities safe.”

Medical Health Officers are working with local governments on how to deal with the issue, he said.

Earlier this week, Interior Health released a letter it sent to all municipalities asking for a six-month moratorium on more bylaws while the impact of decriminalization is studied. Kamloops, Penticton and Sicamous are some of the communities that have already introduced bylaws.

READ MORE: Interior Health asks local governments to pause plans to ban open drug use in parks

Dix switched from parks to say that it was difficult for businesses to have people using drugs in front of their shops, as well. But he did not agree with the suggestion that banning drugs in parks might lead to more use on sidewalks in front of businesses.

“We and other communities, and even communities that are looking at establishing individual bylaws, I think that they would like to see it on a province-wide basis,” Dyas told iNFOnews.ca. “Why I’m advocating for it is so it’s the same for everybody throughout the province and, also, for people who come to visit our province.

“I don’t know whether or not it’s going to change. I’m hopeful because of, potentially, what may happen to individuals because of the power and the potency of the drugs, with a simple piece of foil in a playground or a syringe in a playground or something like that and what potentially it could do to anybody who’s playing in that area.”

Dix pointed out that the ministries of public safety and mental health also have to be involved in making such a decision.

If that change isn’t made, will Kelowna introduce its own bylaw?

“I don’t know the answer to that right now,” Dyas said. “My hope is still that it is done on a provincial level.”

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