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Kelowna supervised consumption site closure dispute

Updated 1 time since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-02 23:03 UTC → 2026-09-03 00:27 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Kelowna city officials, led by Mayor Tom Dyas, have formally requested that the federal Ministry of Health deny the 2027 renewal for the Outreach Urban Health supervised consumption site on Pandosy Street. The council cites public safety issues, including gang activity, drug trafficking, and arson, noting that the RCMP has responded to 3,466 calls for service in the vicinity since the site opened in 2021. Additionally, a survey indicated that 89 per cent of surveyed downtown businesses reported the site has had a “bad” or “very bad” impact on the area. In response to the city’s request, Interior Health’s chief medical health officer, Dr. Sue Pollock, defended the facility as essential for saving lives during the toxic drug crisis, noting 887 deaths in the Central Okanagan since 2016. Within the council, Councillor Loyal Wooldridge criticized the move as ‘political pandering’ and warned that closing the site without alternatives would be a ‘haphazard’ solution that could push individuals with addictions onto the streets. Interior Health continues to defend the Outreach Urban Health Centre, emphasizing that the toxic drug crisis remains a public health emergency. Dr. Pollock highlighted that 46 deaths occurred in the Central Okanagan during the first half of this year alone. She expressed a commitment to ongoing dialogue with the city to balance community well-being with essential healthcare access.

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