“The Province is yet again capitulating to unfounded moral panic, this time citing a fabricated barrier of needing to strike community consultations prior to the implementation of a life-saving health service.” - Caitlin Shane, lawyer with pivot legal society

BCNDP capitulation to align with ABC came just one day after FIFA World Cup Vancouver released their “human rights action plan,” which acknowledges the crisis, and was released alongside reference to overdose prevention sites as part of their visitor guide. themainlander.com/2026/05/29/c...

Business concerns were reportedly relayed to Terry Yung, a former VPD officer turned BC NDPer. Yung is married to Vancouver city councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung, who is part of Ken Sim’s governing ABC party. Kirby-Yung and ABC voted to block the OPS from opening: themainlander.com/2026/05/29/c...

Island Health issues drug poisoning advisory in Nanaimo as overdoses rise

There have been 838 unregulated drug deaths in this neighbourhood over the past decade. OPS have incredible success rates because people are there to immediately provide a medical response if someone stops breathing.

Mayor Ken Sim and Clr Peter Meiszner say the proposed overdose prevention site at 900 Helmcken "is not appropriate for the neighbourhood." This is the area with the second highest death rate from unregulated drugs. If not here, where? link.lists.vancouver.ca/v/443/81f138...

Failure to ensure city centre overdose prevention site reflects BC NDP deadly abandonment of people who use drugs: themainlander.com/2026/05/29/c... "The Health Minister has capitulated to the ideology of criminalization and containment"

brutal cowardice from the uninspiring BCNDP "Vancouver Coastal Health will not proceed with the overdose-prevention site at 900 Helmcken St. at this time, and there is currently no planned date for opening" and yet 'life-saving services' is in the literal header news.gov.bc.ca/releases/202...

Maybe if Vancouver Coastal Health rebranded it the FIFA Overdose Prevention Site the mayor would support it.

safety for who? "When the Helmcken Street site was announced as the new location earlier this month, Jane Talbot of the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association said safety was the top concern of association members." www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Folding on life-saving measures is bad — folding on them because *Ken Sim* asked you to is worse. When will the cowardice of the BC NDP end?

We are horrified by the BC Minister of Health's @josieosborne.bsky.social decision to deliberately withhold lifesaving health-care services during an ongoing public health emergency. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Homeless deaths are up 300% and this is what the BCNDP does. Unbelievable.

If not this site then what site in downtown Vancouver might be acceptable? Hard to think of a better spot.

You can only die once. No engagement after.

New: Health Minister Josie Osborne nixes overdose prevention site planned for 900 Helmcken St. in downtown Vancouver, citing concerns raised. Says province and Vancouver Coastal Health will "fully engage with stakeholders and community ahead of any new site opening."

A 2016 ministerial order from Health Minister Terry Lake said health authorities needed to open OPSs "as needed". “It’s required by law, and yet we see terribly low numbers of overdose prevention sites, astronomical death rates,” says Pivot lawyer Caitlin Shane. www.straight.com/news/2500-da...

This is such a cowardly & spineless decision.

The old irresponsible and negligent plan by governments of all stripes that hope people just die.

murderous cowards

“Visitors are advised to avoid using illegal drugs and if using, to not use alone,” reads the site. oh that'll do it. great job everyone dailyhive.com/vancouver/va...

Know your rights before you head out: www.pivotlegal.org/fifa_and_you... 2/3

Starting today (May 13, 2026), the @cityofvancouver.bsky.social FIFA World Cup 2026 Bylaw is in effect. Before & during FIFA, you can expect intensified surveillance, increased enforcement of both new & existing bylaws, & the largest deployment of law enforcement in Vancouver’s history. 1/3

Here is my second news round up on criminalization -and the work opposing its expansion- in Canada for @interruptcrim.bsky.social Please read, share, and send me pertinent info and updates at the address provided! bit.ly/ICCanada2

Section of Pacific Boulevard to close for FIFA World Cup

One of several reasons why events like fifa, olympics, etc are nightmares.

- Seizure and destruction of drug use equipment - $1,000 bylaw ticket - $250 for smoking a cigarette on East Hastings Street VPD policing of public space as FIFA draws near: www.policeoversight.ca/p/prefifa-po... #vanpoli

My first investigation for De Facto with @godfrey.bsky.social is out! VPD calls to border services have skyrocketed since 2023. An immigration lawyer told us, "they seem to be running status checks on anyone they have an interaction with if they suspect there could be an immigration issue."

icymi: since Ken Sim was elected mayor, VPD immigration checks have been through the roof. community members say the practice puts undocumented migrants at risk of facing violence @defacto-ca.bsky.social investigation by me and @emmaarkell.bsky.social www.defactomedia.ca/vpd-immigrat...

“Street Sweeps”: The Municipal Government-Enforced Confiscation of Personal Belongings Among Unstably Housed People Who Use Drugs in Vancouver, Canada Tried but being unable to access supervised consumption sites 20.4% pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC... #vanpoli #VanRE

Two people were fined $250 each for smoking cigarettes: www.policeoversight.ca/p/prefifa-po... @pivotlegalsociety.bsky.social

$1000 fine for alleged street vending. the cruelty is the point. www.policeoversight.ca/p/prefifa-po... bsky.app/profile/poli... #vanpoli

the two officers on trial had at least ten drinks each at the VPD GANG CRIME UNIT CHRISTMAS PARTY at a Yaletown nightclub before the alleged assaults took place

"Wong is also one of seven VPD officers at the centre of an OPCC public hearing into the beating death of Myles Gray in August of 2015." bsky.app/profile/ctvn...

CTV News obtains CCTV video from inside nightclub during alleged assault by off-duty VPD officers

Cops get Vancouver ready for the world stage with a barrage of tickets for smoking, vending, existing in public.

this isn't acceptable. we need to see the costs to date and anticipated and for the premier to get his head out of his ass immediately what the actual fuck, people bsky.app/profile/chek...

hey everybody

SoFi Stadium workers threaten to strike if ICE isn't banned from World Cup games

Two people were fined $250 each for smoking cigarettes: www.policeoversight.ca/p/prefifa-po... @pivotlegalsociety.bsky.social

CP24 failing to note that Spanish media and police reported two days ago that these three Toronto Police officers allegedly assaulted a sex worker. They have been arrested. One was attempting to flee. Bad 🇨🇦 coverage: www.cp24.com/local/toront... Good 🇪🇸 coverage: en.ara.cat/society/thre...

- Seizure and destruction of drug use equipment - $1,000 bylaw ticket - $250 for smoking a cigarette on East Hastings Street VPD policing of public space as FIFA draws near: www.policeoversight.ca/p/prefifa-po... #vanpoli

“It would avoid us doing drugs in public, doing drugs around children, around elderly folks, just around people who don't want to be around drugs. Right now, we're on the street corners, we're on the sidewalk, and it's inhumane.” www.biv.com/biv-rss-link...

In this Brief, Michaela M. McGuire (Jaad Gudgihljiwah examines how fiscal decisions intersect with justice policy, resource development and militarization – and what that reveals about Canada's approach to addressing gender violence. Read the full Brief: yellowheadinstitute.org/2026/sunsett...

um. is there a point at which one reflects and realizes that ones "research" is in fact stupid and give your grant money to people operating street-level health service?

a moral panic mayor only brings harm

Ken Sim and @petermeiszner.bsky.social are trying to force through a vote right now, on the same day it's introduced. I've never heard of council trying to pass a motion barring a specific landowner from a specific use without notice and hearing. Doesn't this breach procedural fairness 101?