BC NDP says property tax proposal to fund opioid crisis a result of provincial inaction

The provincial NDP is weighing in on the debate over whether the City of Vancouver should introduce a property tax to fund resources to battle the opioid crisis.

New Westminster MLA Judy Darcy said the city shouldn't be in the position where it's forced to look at measures like this and slammed the province for what she called a lack of action in fighting the crisis.

"It is unfortunate that municipal governments have been put in this position. The province has been downloading responsibility onto municipalities and fire departments for years now," said Darcy.

On Wednesday, city council debated a proposal that would charge homeowners an extra 0.5 per cent in property tax to pay for more resources to combat the fentanyl overdose crisis.

The report states that the tax would raise approximately $3.5 million to give staff more flexibility to respond to the public health emergency.

Darcy said the province has been abdicating responsibility to the federal government and others, when it should be doing more itself to fight the problem.

"There's far more the province needs to be doing," said Darcy.

"I understand in that context why local governments are stepping up, because firefighters and other first responders, paramedics nurses are under incredible pressure and they do need support."

Health minister: 'It's all hands on deck'

Meanwhile, Health Minister Terry Lake said Thursday the provincial government is assessing the crisis on a week-by-week basis and reiterated his government is doing everything it can to manage the crisis.

He said now is not the time to assign blame.

"Rather than pointing fingers, I think it's a matter of all hands on deck and banding together to try to reduce the number of deaths," said Lake.

The minister said he welcomes proposals by the city and others to fight the opioid crisis together.

"We go out and do the job we need to do and work with partners: whether it's the City of Vancouver, City of Victoria, the City of Surrey."

The Ministry of Health announced Friday that it is setting up a series of "overdose prevention sites" in drug hot spots.

People there will monitor the area and be able to provide immediate care in the event of an overdose.