3699 3rd Ave (Off Bute St)
Open seven days a week: 8 am – 8 pm
250-723-6511
Overdose Prevention Sites provide a clean, safe and low-barrier environment where people can use substances under the supervision of trained staff. This practical approach reduces fatal overdoses, reduces the transmission of disease and helps connect people with health care services and treatment options in our community.
The following health services are available at the OPS in Port Alberni:
- Access to sterile harm reduction supplies to reduce the risk of disease and infection
- Overdose education, intervention and prevention
- Referrals to counselling, medical and treatment services
- Drug-testing – including fentanyl test strips and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR) testing that can determine the presence and quantities of various compounds
- Safe disposal of used equipment (in fact, we collect more needles than we distribute!)
- We DO NOT supply drugs
Did you know?
International research on supervised consumption services has found that these sites are beneficial to people who use substances as well as the surrounding community.
Evidence has shown that supervised consumption services can:
- Save lives
- Reduce the transmission of HIV, hepatitis and other communicable diseases
- Increase use of detox and addiction treatment services
- Provide opportunities to connect people to health care services, housing and other supports
- Reduce public drug use
- Reduce the numbers of inappropriately discarded needles
- Do not contribute to increased crime in the surrounding area
Source: BC Government
