As public consultations begin, province says it could delay opening of Winnipeg supervised consumption site
CBC
Winnipeg residents living and working in the area where the province plans to put a supervised consumption site voiced their frustrations during a public meeting Tuesday.
Homelessness and Addictions Minister Bernadette Smith and a panel that included representatives from Shared Health, Winnipeg police and other officials took questions about the new proposed location for the site at 366 Henry Ave.
Joseph Fourre, founder of fentanyl-awareness non-profit Singing Red Bear Foundation, said he grew up in the area and his mother still lives there.
"I firmly believe like Winnipeg really is not a large enough centre for a consumption site," Fourre told CBC after the meeting. "We can probably use those dollars more effectively in trying to help people with addiction."
The NDP government initially planned the site for 200 Disraeli Freeway — an area east of Main Street close to homeless shelters. But residents there protested, partly because the site is close to a high school and child-care centre, and the government backed down.
Some of the several dozen people who attended the public meeting held at Siloam Mission's Buhler Centre Tuesday raised similar concerns about the site come to their neighbourhood, citing crime and public drug use.
The turnout " just shows the compassion that people have for their neighbourhood," Fourre said. "Not all of it was about hating on the drug addict.… We just need to find a better way to to serve our most vulnerable."
The government announced the new location last week. It would be in what's largely a commercial area several blocks west of Main Street and hundreds of metres away from any schools.
A brochure distributed in the area in recent days said safety is a key concern.
"Once high, where do these people end up? Do they leave the building and walk around the area? Will they have health-care professionals escort them back home?" the brochure reads.
Smith told reporters Tuesday said the government would be ready to "move on" from 366 Henry Avenue if the community speaks out and it isn't the right place.
But the minister added the data supports the location, saying the majority of overdoses in the city happen in that area.
"Police are going to have a presence. Downtown Safety Community Patrol are going to have a presence," she said.
"You're not going to see as much open drug use outside because this is bringing people inside to consume their drugs, create relationships and get people ultimately off of their substances."
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