A new province-wide Ipsos poll suggests British Columbians have deep concerns about drug consumption sites and want more public funding directed toward treatment and recovery. The survey found that 58 per cent of respondents believe the sites have made the province’s overall addiction crisis worse, while only seven per cent believe they have improved it.
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The poll was conducted by Ipsos on behalf of Neighbours of 900 Helmcken, a group of Vancouver residents and business owners opposed to the overdose prevention site proposed for their neighbourhood. The group says it supports addiction services but objects to the location, the lack of consultation and what it sees as an overreliance on harm reduction without adequate pathways into treatment.
Most respondents want funding directed toward recovery
Only 26 per cent of respondents agreed that drug consumption sites are a good use of taxpayer money, while 62 per cent disagreed and 12 per cent were undecided. At the same time, 73 per cent agreed that money spent on the sites would be better directed toward treatment and recovery services, compared with 15 per cent who disagreed.
Ipsos defined drug consumption sites for respondents as facilities where people can use drugs they have obtained in advance under the supervision of trained staff. The survey also noted that the facilities are sometimes called overdose prevention sites or safe injection sites.
Respondents expressed negative views about the broader community effects of the sites. Fifty-seven per cent said the sites have worsened visible public drug use in surrounding areas, while 10 per cent said they have improved it. Another 57 per cent said crime and street disorder have become worse around the sites, compared with five per cent who said those conditions have improved.
The results were somewhat more divided when respondents were asked about outcomes for people who use drugs. Thirty-one per cent said the sites have worsened overall safety for drug users, while 22 per cent said they have improved it. On access to treatment and recovery services, 31 per cent said the sites have made the situation worse, 13 per cent said better and 29 per cent said there had been no change.
7 in 10 oppose a site in their neighbourhood
The survey found 70 per cent of British Columbians would oppose a drug consumption site opening in their own neighbourhood, including 52 per cent who said they would strongly oppose one. By comparison, 23 per cent said they would support a site nearby and seven per cent were undecided.
The results also point to broad dissatisfaction with the provincial government’s handling of the addiction and overdose crisis. Only 19 per cent agreed the government is doing a good job, while 71 per cent disagreed and 10 per cent were undecided. 17 per cent said they are seeing real improvements from government spending on the crisis, while 69 per cent disagreed.
Dr. Julian Somers, a clinical psychologist with expertise in addiction and mental health, said the findings support a shift toward a recovery-focused approach. “It’s time to align public policy with the evidence and give people the opportunity to recover,” he said.
The debate around 900 Helmcken
The poll arrives amid an ongoing dispute over the proposed relocation of the Thomus Donaghy Overdose Prevention Site to 900 Helmcken St. Vancouver Coastal Health announced the new location on May 5, but residents and nearby businesses said they were not consulted before the decision was made.
Following opposition from the community and Vancouver City Council, Health Minister Josie Osborne announced on May 27 that VCH would not proceed with the site “at this time.” She said there was no planned opening date and committed the Province and health authority to engaging with stakeholders before any new site opens.
The lease for the property remains active, however, and VCH has said RainCity Housing is carrying out maintenance, repairs and general improvements. The proposed operator took responsibility for the two-year lease on June 1 at an annual cost of $179,000, even though no opening date has been set.
VCH has consistently defended overdose prevention sites as part of a broader continuum of care. The health authority describes the services as evidence-based measures that can prevent deaths, connect people with treatment and provide an alternative to public drug use.
The Province has also maintained that harm reduction and recovery should not be treated as competing choices. Its stated approach includes overdose prevention, detox, treatment beds, opioid agonist therapy, supportive housing and longer-term recovery services.
Ipsos surveyed 801 adult British Columbians online between July 13 and 17, 2026, using respondents sourced through its panel. The results were weighted by region, age, gender and education to align with census proportions in British Columbia, and carry a credibility interval of plus or minus 4.0 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
Even with that distinction, the results show a significant public confidence problem for the provincial government. British Columbians may differ on the role of harm reduction, but the poll indicates a clear demand for more visible progress, stronger treatment pathways and greater community involvement in decisions about where services are located.
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