Community advisory committee created for Fort St. John OPS

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The Fort St. John Chamber of Commerce and Northern Health are establishing a community advisory committee for the overdose prevention site (OPS). 

In a joint release on April 4th, the two organizations stated the committee would address the ongoing need for collaboration and engagement with the site’s surrounding neighbourhood. 

“The Chamber and Northern Health are jointly moving forward with a recent recommendation from the Chamber’s Board of Directors to establish a community table where best practices, questions and local business concerns can be discussed and addressed on an ongoing basis,” said Northern Health and the chamber. 

According to the organizations, the committee will include members from local businesses and organizations.

This announcement comes after many local business owners and residents expressed concerns over the location of the incoming OPS site at 10067 100th Avenue. 

One business owner concerned with the OPS site’s impact on the area is Tina Almond, the owner of Central Emporium in Fort St. John. 

In an interview with Energeticcity.ca, Almond says she thought the site’s location brought issues for nearby businesses and École Central Elementary. Almond also believes the chosen site contradicts the city’s attempts at downtown revitalization. 

“They’re doing a huge revitalization of the downtown, and they should have been protecting that,” Almond said. 

Almond says she thought the Chamber of Commerce’s plans to help the area adjust were good ideas, but she still has concerns. 

“The fear is always that it’s gonna destroy the downtown, but if we can follow all the steps that the Chamber of Commerce has suggested, then hopefully, we can keep the area clean.” 

Northern Health’s search for a new OPS site began in April 2022 after losing its temporary use permit to a former proposed site.

Northern Health announced it had found a new location for the OPS in November 2022. 

Business owners aren’t the only ones questioning the new site. Concerns were even raised at a recent School District 60 meeting, which led to the trustees stating they would draft a letter to Northern Health concerning communication issues on the matter. 

Fort St. John Chamber of Commerce CEO Kathleen Connolly says she is “excited” by the collaboration between the chamber and Northern Health. 

“Of course, the statement just came out today (April 4th), so very early stages. But the intention would be to set it up quite quickly so that we can start having these conversations as the process unfolds,” Connolly said. 

Connolly believes working with the local business community will lead to a positive outcome. 

“I have experience with these tables in other communities, and even here in Fort St. John, we have one, and they work very well because people can bring forward their concerns in an environment which is collaborative with the intention of positive outcomes for everybody,” Connolly said. 

“I think anytime that you can sit at the table and have a voice is a win.” 

According to the release, the committee’s first meeting will occur at some point in April. 

Though no illicit substance-related deaths in northeastern BC were reported for January 2023 by the BC Coroner Service, 26 illicit substance-related deaths occurred in 2022.