PLEASE NOTE: It is currently required that an experienced community film liaison with overdose (OD) intervention training be hired when filming on the DTES.
The City is currently experiencing an overdose crisis centered largely on the Downtown East Side (DTES). Fentanyl-laced drugs are commonplace and, therefore, more people are choosing to do drugs in public spaces (streets, alleys) where they are more likely to be noticed and receive life-saving help.
Filming the DTES is still supported by the City and many stakeholders, but residents and organizations have raised recent concerns regarding production practices during the fentanyl crisis.
It has always been strongly recommended that production companies employ a knowledgeable, experienced community liaison to ensure impacts on the resident population are mitigated. Sensitivity to the current conditions is of highest priority and has elevated the employment of a liaison to a requirement.
PLEASE NOTE: The hiring of a trained, experienced liaison does not in any way indicate that a production company has the responsibility to administer medical assistance. The addition of an experienced, community based employee will provide:
Vigilance – alert to emerging situations, able to inform productions and/or individual staff
Connection – knowledge of whom to contact or recommended practices
Advice- the provision of context, protocol and support to film crew working on the DTES
The Director’s Guild of Canada Location Caucus will help productions connect with providers of liaison services.
City of Vancouver film liaisons will be reinforcing this message as well as requesting the name of the individual(s) hired.
Productions filming in the DTES should also:
take note of and immediately notify authorities of people in crisis;
clear impediments to any volunteer or emergency agency providing assistance to those in crisis; and
be aware that witnessing and/or helping with overdoses can potentially be traumatic to production staff. The DGC will be working with DTES outreach workers to revise training and education material regarding this issue.
The City and the DGC believe the above measure is in the best immediate and long-term interests of the industry and the DTES residents and its outreach organizations.
This is applicable to filming:
North of Pender and South of Railway/Alexander/Water
East of Cambie and West of Clark Drive
The City reserves the right to apply this requirement in other adjacent or identified areas at its discretion.
Please contact Sandi Swanigan, Senior Manager of Film and Special Events, at sandi.swanigan@vancouver.ca with questions or comments.