The City of Pitt Meadows is moving to stop the use of illicit drugs in parks, facilities, trails and dikes in the city.
At a meeting on July 18, council voted to update its Parks and Community Facilities Regulations Bylaw, adding substances from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to the list of items the bylaws prohibit in these areas. The current bylaw only mentions alcohol and cannabis.
The B.C. government was granted a Health Canada exemption to allow possession and use of illegal drugs in public spaces, in early 2023, staff noted. This decriminalization was a measure aimed at reducing the number of overdose deaths in the province.
Mayor Nicole MacDonald explained there was a gap in the city bylaws that was causing residents concern. She said open drug use has become an issue in the city.
“We’ve not overrun in Pitt Meadows, but it is a problem,” she told The News, adding council doesn’t want families or children viewing open drug use in parks or facilities.
READ ALSO: Decriminalizing small amounts of illicit drugs ‘may save pain, lives,’ says expert
The Pitt Meadows bylaw amendment said the aim is to “enhance public safety and maintain a conducive environment in public spaces.”
City staff noted they consulted with the Ridge Meadows RCMP, and they support this recommendation.
“It is worth noting that other communities, like Port Coquitlam, are moving in a similar direction,” said Andy Messner, manager of parks.
In April, Maple Ridge city councillor Ahmed Yousef proposed a ban on illicit drug use in the city’s parks and public spaces, but his initiative received no support from his fellow councillors.
He expressed frustration that Maple Ridge “continues to signal that Maple Ridge is open to open drug use in parks and in our civic facilities,” while other cities in the Lower Mainland are trending in the opposite direction.
Yousef said bylaws like Pitt Meadows’ ensure “citizenry are safe and feel safe in facilities established and paid for by the residents.”
READ ALSO: Maple Ridge city councillor wants to restrict open drug use
Coun. Alison Evans spoke at length about the issue, noting she has attended harm reduction seminars in her career, and also heard about the issue from the community. She is a 911 dispatcher.
“I believe in harm reduction and its benefits, and quite simply it’s about saving lives, and reducing stigma of drug use,” she said.
Evans said she supported the provincial decriminalization.
“It’s a crisis, and we have to try new things,” she said, but added changes in laws should be adjusted through experience.
She noted airports, schools and daycares were specified as places where decriminalization would not allow for public use of narcotics, however parks were considered as places people could consume.
“Things get a little greyer with the parks, populations that are likely to be using controlled substances in a park are also the most likely to be using the park for shelter. So consideration was given to allow drug use in those spaces,” Evans explained, then added:
“But, by far the greatest user of our parks are children.”
She acknowledge the rewritten bylaws will impact people “experiencing houselessness” disproportionately, but added “The safety of our citizens and our children must be the highest priority.”
The bylaw also addressed E-bikes, which are becoming increasingly popular, and there is a need to “ensure the safety of all users on shared pathways,” said Messner.
E-bikes will be allowed on shared pathways, but must always yield to pedestrians and slow down when approaching them. The bylaw says they must also have a bell or horn, and operate at a safe speed and in a safe manner.
The bylaw amendments also increased the fines up to $300 for use of a device which constitutes a hazard, $200 for using a device that disturbs other people, and the smoking fine rose from $200 to $300.
The bylaw amendments were given three readings, and will be back for council at a future meeting for final adoption.
READ ALSO: Maple Ridge council shoots down ban on shooting up in parks