Mobile overdose prevention site now on the streets in Winnipeg

New mobile overdose prevention site is up and running in Winnipeg, a first in Manitoba.

The new RV is the brainchild of Sunshine House, which is working to prevent overdoses by providing harm reduction services.

Some of these services include clean needles, drug-testing kits, and a safer environment for people to use substances under the supervision of peers.

Sunshine House has an exemption from Health Canada to operate legally under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

Sunshine House is hoping the new mobile service will help users make more informed decisions.

"There's a risk that people are cutting things with other substances that can really increase danger for people who are using them, and especially if you don't know what's in that (drug) you are at a higher risk of experiencing severe outcomes, such as death or injury or whatever that might be," said Levi Foy, the executive director of Sunshine House.

"So a site like this really helps prevent these severe outcomes. We can do the testing, we can intervene if necessary."

Sunshine House notes it does not provide substances to people.

The organization is hoping to raise funds to purchase equipment to better identify toxic drugs.

The RV is set up at 613 Main Street from now until Sunday, between 11:45 a.m. and 5:15 p.m. The RV is then mobile from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.