Richmond mayoral candidates oppose a supervised consumption site as public safety leads the campaign

With election day a week away, homelessness, addiction and public safety are at the centre of Richmond’s mayoral campaign. Candidates Alexa Loo, Rob Howard, Kash Heed and Dickens Cheung say the city needs a different approach to supporting people dealing with addiction and those without stable housing. Debate over a proposed supervised consumption site near Richmond Hospital has been especially prominent since it sparked a major public backlash in 2024.

Alexa Loo, who has served on Richmond city council for 12 years, says residents are calling for better transportation and infrastructure, as well as a more active and vibrant city. She also wants to address public safety and street disorder. Loo says the city should reconsider how supportive housing and services are delivered because some programs have not met expectations. “We don’t need a safe injection site here. What we need are housing for people,” she said. She wants the city to focus on housing, ensure people receive appropriate support, and keep parks and other public spaces clean and safe. She also wants to work with the provincial government on enforcement and access to treatment.

Rob Howard says residents frequently raise public safety, crime, homelessness and supervised consumption sites. He is firmly opposed to the proposed site. “No more experiments. No more studies. No more injection sites,” he said. Howard says he would press the provincial government to provide mandatory care beds for people dealing with addiction and mental health issues. He argues Richmond should not have to sacrifice parks and public spaces while waiting for solutions. If elected, his first priority would be a value-for-dollar review of city spending, including how money is used and whether services are worth their cost.

Kash Heed, a former B.C. public safety minister and solicitor general who later served as a city councillor, is campaigning on public safety, transparency, accountability and government spending. In 2024, he co-sponsored a motion to explore the potential benefits and challenges of a supervised consumption site near Richmond Hospital. He says the motion was intended to examine ways to move people experiencing addiction-related crises out of public spaces and into care, but was misunderstood and politicized. Heed supports secure care for people with severe addiction and mental health challenges and says he would now advocate for that approach with the provincial government. Asked whether he would move ahead with opening a supervised consumption site if elected mayor, he said, “No. Absolutely not.” He wants people to receive treatment while the city addresses public safety concerns linked to street disorder.

Dickens Cheung also opposes a supervised consumption site, saying treatment should be the first option explored for people struggling with addiction. “Treatment. Yes, definitely. That should be the first option that we should explore,” he said. Cheung says the opioid crisis has contributed to public safety concerns and Richmond should work with the provincial government to address the problem. He also says homelessness should be a city priority, with resources directed to people struggling to meet basic needs.

In February 2024, Richmond city council voted 7-2 to ask staff to examine the potential benefits and challenges of implementing a supervised consumption site near Richmond Hospital. The review was intended to consider public safety, health-care costs and community perceptions. The vote prompted a backlash: hundreds of residents filled council chambers to oppose the proposal, and thousands signed a petition against it. Demonstrations continued with a rally at Minoru Park on Family Day, followed by a march to city hall. The issue grew increasingly contentious, with residents raising concerns about crime, community safety and potential effects on children and families.

Vancouver Coastal Health later said a supervised consumption site was not “the most appropriate” service for Richmond. Then-B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix defended the evidence for such sites, saying they save lives and can make communities safer. Figures at the time showed toxic drugs killed 2,511 people in British Columbia in 2023, including 26 in Richmond.

The controversy continues to shape the mayoral campaign. Voters will choose their next mayor on Oct. 17. The full candidate list includes Goldentiger King, Dennet “The Cat Guy” Lee, Mei Kang, Dickens Chueng, Kash Heed, Rob Howard and Alexa Loo.