
pivot
Checking into Charter challenge
BY ROCHELLE BAKER, THE ABBOTSFORD MISSION TIMES
The City of Abbotsford is facing a potential legal challenge to its anti-harm reduction bylaw on the basis it violates individuals' Charter rights.
The Pivot Legal Society in Vancouver is exploring a legal argument that asserts Abbotsford doesn't have the right to deny people access to medical services, said lawyer Scott Bernstein.
The 2005 Abbotsford bylaw bans harm reduction facilities such as needle exchanges or injection sites in all zones of the city. Life-saving health services, such as needle exchanges, should be accessible to everyone who uses illicit drugs regardless of what municipality they live in, said Bernstein. Read more »