BC Conservative Leader John Rustad and Teresa Wat, Conservative candidate for Richmond-Bridgeport, on Sunday announced their commitment to shutting down every single drug den injection site in the City of Richmond and launching an aggressive campaign against Premier David Eby’s “radical free drug agenda, stating that “these failed policies have flooded formerly safe communities with free hard drugs and put the lives of children and families at risk.”
“David Eby and the NDP have abandoned vulnerable people struggling with addiction, creating a system that enables drug abuse while neglecting real solutions. As a result, our communities have become unsafe, and it’s our children and families who are left to suffer with the consequences. This is not just a policy failure—it’s a public safety crisis,” said Rustad.
“Families in Richmond deserve to live in safe, drug-free neighborhoods, and we will shut down every single drug den injection site to protect them. Under no circumstances should kids have to grow up surrounded by the ramifications of Eby’s reckless free drug agenda.”
“Children are dying because of these policies. This is the reality that David Eby and the BC NDP have ignored,” said Wat. “Instead of helping those struggling with addiction, they are enabling dangerous drug use in our neighborhoods. The so-called ‘safe supply’ has turned our streets into scenes of tragedy, and it’s our children who are the innocent victims.”
Rustad and Wat outlined the Conservative Party’s plan to restore safety to Richmond and protect families:
1. Immediate closure of every drug den in Richmond: The Conservative Party will shut down all government-sanctioned drug den injection sites, putting an end to this failed experiment that puts vulnerable children and families at risk.
2. Recriminalization of hard drugs: The party will reinstate the criminal penalties for hard drugs, reversing the dangerous decriminalization policies implemented by the BC NDP.
3. Real treatment and recovery services: The focus will shift from enabling addiction to providing life-saving treatment and recovery services, giving people a chance to overcome their struggles and rebuild their lives.
4. Enhanced law enforcement and community safety: The Conservative Party will increase police presence and restore law and order in communities like Richmond, ensuring drug dealers and criminals are taken off the streets.
“David Eby and the NDP have abdicated their responsibility to ensure the safety of our children, leaving them to grow up in neighborhoods riddled with drug den injection sites and addiction,” Rustad said. “It’s a failure of leadership. And we are seeing the tragic consequences every day, with young lives lost because of Eby’s negligence.”
Wat reinforced the urgency of immediate action to stop these policies. “As a mother and grandmother, I can’t stand by while our communities are torn apart. The NDP has put our children in harm’s way, and families are paying the ultimate price,” said Wat. “The Conservative Party will shut down these drug den injection sites, protect our children, and give our communities the safety they deserve.”
