Supervised drug consumption site in Winnipeg announced in budget
Plans for a future supervised drug consumption site in Winnipeg are becoming clearer following the release of the Manitoba budget.
The NDP government has set aside $2.5 million for a site in the North Main Street area of Winnipeg.
“We have a very interesting proposal brought forward by an Indigenous-led consortium on a supervised consumption site,” said Premier Wab Kinew. “We're looking at that.”
The site won’t be operating until 2025, the premier said, noting proper consultation with the community is required.
“How do you ensure the impacts on public safety and the immediate neighbourhood are going to be addressed? These things take time,” he said.
Nicole Richard, a Winnipeg resident who knows the area well, said a lot of people in the north Main Street area are struggling with addiction.
“I think it would be one hundred per cent beneficial,” she said.
Not everyone is convinced a safe consumption site is the right solution.
James Audy, a recovering addict and former drug dealer, believes the area will be a magnet for crime.
“It’s a place where a lot of drug dealers would go, a place where people, a lot of people would get hurt, their stuff stolen,” he said.
Harm reduction advocates have long been calling for a site, and welcomed the announcement.
“It would reduce infectious transmissions due to the sharing or the using of a tainted needle,” said Jason Whitford with End Homelessness Winnipeg.
“I’ve been waiting for this change for a long time, so I’m very pleased,” said Arlene Last-Kolb with Moms Stop The Harm.
However, they said there wasn’t enough in the budget to address the prevention of toxic drug deaths by providing a safe supply.
The budget set aside money to cover new initiatives for drug testing in Winnipeg and northern Manitoba. The government will also be spending $1.5 million to expand treatment options, and is spending $500,000 for 24/7 sobering centres in Brandon and Thompson.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
LIVE SOON Police arrest 3 in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
BREAKING Foreign meddling 'did not affect' overall federal election results: inquiry report
Foreign interference by China did not affect the overall results of the 2019 and 2021 general elections won by Justin Trudeau's Liberals, a federal commission of inquiry has found.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto incident caught on video
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.
Why your airfare may be getting more expensive
Skyrocketing airfare prices are linked to heightened competition and rising food and fuel, according to the CAA.
WATCH LIVE Funeral today for broadcasting legend and voice of 'Hockey Night in Canada' Bob Cole
A funeral is being held today for hockey broadcasting legend Bob Cole in his hometown of St. John's, N.L.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
New weight-loss drug Wegovy not a 'magic bullet,' doctor warns
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Who is Hope Hicks, longtime Trump aide who is testifying in N.Y. hush money case?
Hope Hicks, once a longtime trusted aide in Donald Trump’s inner circle, is testifying Friday in the New York hush money trial after being subpoenaed.