Jeremy Valeriote, MLA for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky, criticized the provincial government’s decision to end British Columbia’s decriminalization pilot project, calling the move a step backward in addressing the province’s ongoing toxic drug crisis.
In a press release, Valeriote said the government’s replacement plan—a new addictions phone line—is insufficient. “While any added support is welcome, equating decriminalization and a phone line in tackling a public health crisis is deeply irresponsible,” he noted.
Valeriote highlighted that five people die each day in B.C. from the toxic drug crisis. Yet, the NDP government is retreating from evidence-based policy supported by experts, including former Chief Coroner Lisa LaPointe and the province’s former Minister of Mental Health and Addictions.
The press release noted that the pilot failed not because of decriminalization itself but due to the government’s lack of public education and weak implementation. “People who are worried about being arrested won’t reach out for help. This knee-jerk reaction is designed to appease the Opposition Conservatives, rather than engage in a thoughtful course correction,” Valeriote said.
Recommendations from a 2022 all-party Health Committee, including rapid response teams and wraparound support services, were emphasized as critical steps that were not implemented. Valeriote argued, “You can’t say decriminalization failed if you never actually tried to make it work. It’s like the government installing one solar panel and claiming clean energy can’t power our province.”
Valeriote said the NDP’s approach to policy implementation has undermined significant initiatives like decriminalization and DRIPA, leaving room for political criticism. He stressed that enforcement should target distributors and organized supply, not people struggling with addiction, framing the crisis as a people-centered issue rather than a political one.
