A house that was allegedly used for an illegal supportive recovery facility for recovering drug addicts has been vacant now for more than a week, neighbours say. The Town of Osoyoos recently implemented a “phased enforcement process” guided by legal council. The facility has been operating without a town business license, provincial license and without the property being rezoned. (Richard McGuire photo)
Neighbours of a drug recovery facility that has allegedly been operating illegally opposite Goodman Park are pleased that the Town of Osoyoos has now taken action to close it.
Margaret Warmington, who lives with her husband Lyle next door to the house at 5 Bayview Crescent, said the facility has apparently been vacant now for more than a week.
“The Town of Osoyoos implemented a phased enforcement process that was guided by legal counsel,” said Barry Romanko, town chief administrative officer, in an emailed response to the Osoyoos Times on Monday.
“To the best of our knowledge, the operation of [the] supportive recovery facility at 5 Bayview Crescent has discontinued. The town will continue to monitor future activity which is contrary to zoning bylaws.”
Interior Health says the Brandon Jansen Foundation applied last November for provincial licensing to operate a supportive recovery centre under the Community Care and Assisted Living Act, but was turned down because it failed to meet required standards. It has not reapplied since.
At the time, the Brandon Jansen Memorial Recovery Centre was trying to establish an operation in Penticton.
The Town of Osoyoos attempted to bring in a “housekeeping” bylaw in March that would have established criteria to allow unlicensed supportive recovery centres to set up shop in residentially zoned areas, but at a public hearing in April, neighbours of the facility strongly opposed this.
Council subsequently amended the bylaw to add a definition of “supportive recovery” to the town’s zoning bylaw, but to delete the proposed criteria for establishing such facilities. That revised bylaw passed the final stage of adoption on Monday.
Despite lack of proper zoning, a town business license or provincial licensing, neighbours say the facility has been operating at 5 Bayview Cresent throughout the spring with one or two clients at a time.
The Brandon Jansen Memorial Recovery Centre advertises its private fee for its addictions program at $18,500 for 30 days.
Neighbours say the RCMP was monitoring one of the clients who was staying at the facility under a court mandate, but RCMP involvement ceased when the facility was vacated.
Despite the RCMP involvement and eyewitness accounts by neighbours, the Brandon Jansen Foundation has told the town it has not been operating a drug rehabilitation facility on the property.
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
