B.C.’s network of 50 overdose prevention sites would be eliminated under a federal Conservative government, Leader Pierre Poilievre said Sunday, as part of a campaign pledge that could dramatically change the province’s response to the overdose crisis.

Poilievre made the announcement in New Westminster, calling British Columbia the country’s epicentre of failed addictions policy.

“These are radical and extremely bizarre social experiments, and British Columbia has been ground zero for this massive, deadly Liberal failure,” he said.

“British Columbia is probably the worst place for fentanyl overdoses in the world as a direct result of Liberal-NDP policies.”

The Conservative proposal pledges to remove federal exemptions for overdose prevention sites under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act by Sept. 30.

Instead, overdose prevention sites would have around five months to apply to convert to supervised consumption sites, which would also be given stricter new rules for things like mandatory registration, direct connection to recovery services. Presumably, many overdose prevention sites, which operate with much lower requirements, would meet the new higher threshold and cease to operate.

“We know that........

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