A new public opinion survey from Angus Reid Institute found 64 per cent of Manitobans favour the approach of supervised injection sites.
Manitoba doesn't have any of the sites, but across the country the Government of Canada lists more than two dozen places offering services.
The survey was done with more than 1700 adults, with a margin of error of +/- 2.0 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
Bonnie Stubodden, 57, lives with the dangerous consequences of drug use every day.
In 1991 she was using with a friend who switched her needle and contracted HIV.
Stubodden has coped with an opioid addiction since she was 16 and believes a safe injection site could have helped her and would help others.
"I think it would be a good idea. Vancouver has them, so why can't we down here because people end up giving diseases to other people,” said Stubodden Sunday afternoon.
“They see so many people overdosing and dying. So I think that's one of the big things that would help. So if something happens they have everything there to help them out,” she said.
Provinces favouring the sites most in the survey were British Columbia and Atlantic provinces at 69 per cent, as well as Quebec at 78 per cent.
The most against was Alberta at 49 per cent and Saskatchewan at 48 per cent.
Benefits to supervised injection sites
Winnipeg clinical psychologist Michael Ellery said there are many benefits to supervised injection sites, including that they are cost effective, reduce the number of HIV infections and reduce deaths.
He said safe injection sites also increases patients' access to primary health services and reduce the number of used needles found around communities.
Ellery said in Winnipeg there's been concern a site won't work in the city because users are in disperse pockets, but that shouldn't prevent one from opening.
"When people know they are going to benefit the service, they find a way to get there. I don't agree it's not worth trying,” said Ellery.
In an email to CTV News, Manitoba Health Minister Cameron Friesen said in July 2018 the Virgo report outlined 120 recommendations on how to modernize manitoba's approach to mental health and addictions.
"Since that time, we have implemented a number of recommendations and instituted other initiatives designed to help manitobans suffering from substance use ... we will note, though, that consumption sites were not recommended by dr. rush in his comprehensive report," Friesen said.
The survey also asked people "how would you describe your own provincial government's response to the opioid issue in this country?".
63 per cent of Manitobans said "too few resources".
Provincial government initiatives instituted
Friesen provided a list of a initiatives instituted:
- Opened five rapid access to addiction medicine (RAAM) clinics which provide access to primary care.
- Added six mental health inpatient beds at Health Science Centre Winnipeg.
- Doubled women's treatment beds from 12 to 24 at the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba.
- Equipped paramedics with Olanzapine to treat help treat meth psychosis.
- Established an illicit drug task force with the feds and city of Winnipeg.
The Angus Reid Institute survey said the number of opioid related deaths last year in Canada is expected to surpass 4,000.
It said 17 per cent of Canadians reported having a close friend or family member who has dealt with opioid addiction or dependence with 7 per cent of respondents saying someone close to them has experienced an opiate-related overdose.
