Two years after having a proclamation day named after him in the City of Vancouver, Guy Felicella says he is returning the honour.
Felicella, a harm reduction and recovery advocate, said in a social media post that he does not want May 29 to be known as Guy Felicella Day anymore.
He said that Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim and his ABC council do not understand what it takes to recover from toxic, illicit drugs or the work required to save lives.
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“He threw me and every other person in Vancouver with substance use disorder under the bus when he promised to prevent a much-needed Overdose Prevention Site from opening in downtown Vancouver,” Felicella wrote.
“I won’t be used as part of a disingenuous display of fake compassion and understanding by Ken Sim and his ABC councillors.”
This announcement comes after Sim said he opposes the relocation of an overdose prevention site on Helmcken Street in Vancouver’s city centre.
“Vancouver will not support solutions that fail both those who are struggling and the communities around them,” Sim said in a release on Tuesday.
“We have seen the disastrous impact when OPS sites are introduced without the right planning, oversight, and accountability.”
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