Meth forum ignites debate

By Dan Hilborn
Published Apr. 8, 2006


One step forward and one step back. That's the way Burnaby-Edmonds MLA Raj Chouhan is describing the provincial government's drug addiction strategy for Burnaby, after a successful forum on the effects of crystal meth in the city.

While Chouhan applauded the forum, which was hosted by local Liberal MLA John Nuraney and attracted about 100 interested members of the public, the NDP MLA also decried the impending relocation of the 25-bed Maple Cottage detox and treatment centre from its current home at Burnaby Hospital.

"It is sadly ironic that Mr. Nuraney held a meeting to discuss the impact of crystal meth in our city, when his own B.C. Liberal government is taking away the resources our community needs to combat this insidious drug," Chouhan said in a press release issued last Monday.

Contacted later in the week, Chouhan said the relocation of Maple Cottage - which the Fraser Health Authority says is slated to happen in early 2007 - will make it tougher for drug addicts in Burnaby to get the help they need.

"Even in 2004, when Mr. Nuraney spoke in the legislature about health care in Burnaby, he specifically mentioned Maple Cottage and the benefit it brings to Burnaby," Chouhan said. "Now, on one hand, he's holding public forums to talk about this drug and its impact on people, and at the same time, the resources to help those people who are addicted, they're closing.

"All along, the B.C. Liberals have been talking about delivering health care when and where you need it, but when it comes to delivering it, it's not there. They make a promise and they don't keep it," Chouhan said.

Lois Dixon, the executive director of mental health and addiction service with the Fraser Health Authority, said Chouhan has misrepresented the regional drug prevention strategy that will see a larger, new and purpose-built detox facility built in Surrey, in addition to receiving more than $1.96 million in new funding for new youth programs and to battle crystal meth.

She agreed with Nuraney that the relocation of Maple Cottage will not reduce the amount of service available to Burnaby residents.

"Maple Cottage is a Fraser Health resource and currently the referrals of patients are voluntary on a first-come, first-served basis, and it's done almost exclusively by telephone," Dixon said. "It doesn't matter whether you live in Burnaby or Boston Bar, you have equal access."

Nuraney's comments were similar. "The people using this (Burnaby detox) facility in the Maples are not exclusively Burnaby people, they come from all over the Fraser Valley, so we're not taking anything away from Burnaby. That is the message," the MLA said when contacted last Tuesday.

The new detox, which will be in a two-storey structure across the street from Surrey Memorial Hospital, will have a total of 30 beds, including six beds dedicated for young people. Those numbers are an increase from the facility's current capacity of 25 people and up from its previous maximum of 22 residential clients at a time.

And with another nine detox beds opening up in Chilliwack later this spring, the region will see a total increase in capacity from 1,200 clients to 2,500 clients per year. said Nuraney.

Nuraney also intends to host other forums on the crystal meth problem in the near future for the Chinese and Korean communities.