Victoria councillors want to have an in-depth discussion on harm-reduction issues.

Councillors agreed yesterday to schedule a special meeting to discuss the city's next steps in a harm-reduction strategy.

A date has yet to be set.

"The meeting wouldn't pre-suppose any action but rather make sure staff and council are on the same page on the issue," said Coun. Sonya Chandler, who put forward the motion. Chandler said the discussion would include a review of what has already been done in the city of Victoria, what staff and councillors are currently working on and what the Vancouver Island Health Authority has been doing.

Both Chandler and Mayor Dean Fortin said harm reduction has been identified as one of the council's top seven priorities.

Harm reduction traditionally involves distributing the likes of clean needles, crack-smoking paraphernalia such as pipes or pipe mouthpieces, condoms and literature in an attempt to lessen the spread of infectious diseases like AIDS and hepatitis.

The Vancouver Island Health Authority has been on the hunt for a fixed site for a needle exchange since the May 2008 shutdown of the previous operation on Cormorant Street.

The Cormorant Street site operated for six years before being evicted because of neighbours' complaints about disturbances and hazards associated with the operation.

A proposal for a permanent facility on Princess Street near downtown Victoria was shelved in November.

In the meantime, the mobile needle exchanges operated via vans on regular routes are continuing and public-health officials have been working to expand distribution through existing services, like public-health or mental-health units.