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Supervised drug consumption site is coming soon to Red Deer, say some councillors

Many hope a local drug treatment centre is coming too
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It’s “imminent” that Red Deer will get a supervised drug consumption site, say some city councillors, who hope it goes hand-in hand with a long-sought-after treatment centre.

Dianne Wyntjes, Frank Wong and Ken Johnston are among city council members who feel Red Deer needs a place where addicted people can use street drugs in a supervised setting to reduce overdose deaths — especially since Calgary, Edmonton and Lethbridge are being approved for these sites.

Johnston said getting a safe injection site “is about as close to imminent as I can think of,” since Alberta Health is already in discussions about this with local harm reduction group Turning Point.

“There’s no question there’s a need, given our situation in Red Deer,” added Johnston.

“I do think we need one. People are dying,” said Wong, who noted Red Deer had the highest fentanyl-related death rate in the province in 2016, with 21 fatalities per 100,000 people.

Wyntjes also feels Red Deer is amid “a health crisis,” and safe drug consumption sites can save lives. But, like Johnston and several other councillors, Wyntjes wants see a safe consumption site installed along with the drug treatment centre that Red Deer has been seeking for more than a decade.

Coun. Michael Dawe believes there will be no long-term solutions to Red Deer’s drug problems unless the city get a local treatment centre for addicted people who want help. A supervised site “is only one part of the equation,” he added.

Coun. Buck Buchanan admitted he has mixed feelings about locating yet more street-level services in the downtown. “Without a doubt ” a safe consumption site is coming, and is probably needed, “since nobody wants to see people dying,” he said. The question is, will the public have enough of a say about where it’s located?

Mayor Tara Veer said a safe site only fits one category (harm reduction) of a four-pronged approach that she supports, including drug prevention, treatment and community safety.

Councillors Lawrence Lee, Vesna Higham and Tanya Handley have nebulous feelings about a safe injection sites. Higham questioned how many addicted people would use them, since she heard some avoid these sites. She and Handley also wonder if it would reduce Red Deer’s needle debris problem, or if a needle exchange would be more helpful?

Lee said a safe consumption site is likely needed, but is not as high priority for the city as getting more beds for Red Deer hospital.



lmichelin@reddeeradvocate.com

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