Vancouver deputy police chief claims safe supply being diverted [Video]

British Columbia’s decriminalization pilot project has been a key topic of discussion at various levels of government in recent weeks, with the conversation re-igniting after comments about diversion by a high-ranking officer of the Vancouver Police Department.

While addressing a House of Commons committee Monday, Deputy Chief Fiona Wilson claimed about 50 per cent of hydromorphone seizures were diverted from safe supply drugs.

“That’s just in recognition of the fact that someone who’s on a bonafide safe supply program has a more regular significant supply,” said Wilson, who was speaking in her role as the president of the B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police.

• Read more: No evidence of widespread diversion, public safety minister says

Wilson said that roughly 20 per cent of hydromorphone prescriptions in B.C. are from safe supply.

Premier David Eby was asked about these comments Tuesday, and said that this was the first time his government had heard these numbers from the VPD.

“Our government wants this …