By Taylor MacPherson

Mayor, police chief split on safe injection sites

Feb 22, 2017 | 4:00 PM

The debate around safe injection sites in Prince Albert was reignited by a recent council motion, to the disapproval of Mayor Greg Dionne.

At the most recent city council meeting, Ward 3 Councillor Evert Botha put forward a motion to encourage discussion of safe injection sites between the city, and the provincial and federal health ministries. Although the motion only called for forwarding of correspondence, Dionne told paNOW he was unsure of the motion’s purpose because he does not believe the decision to approve a safe injection site is a city matter.

“It’s being pushed by one councillor, Evert Botha, and as you’ve heard he’s given his unwavering support, but I don’t know what he’s giving his unwavering support for,” Dionne said. “This is a government decision, not our decision.”

The city can lobby for the creation of a site, Dionne said, and would have the ultimate authority to approve the location, but could not simply create a site without provincial and federal approval.

Dionne said he was “a little frustrated” by the motion because he does not yet know all the details of Botha’s plan for safe injection in P.A., but noted council will discuss the matter in greater detail at their next meeting March 6.

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Dionne said he supports harm-reduction strategies, but personally favours a more direct, treatment-based approach.

“I don’t want to give these people a safe place to go; I want to give these people a place to get cured and get real help,” Dionne said. “Maybe we need a detox centre to deal with addicted people.”

Dionne said many of the benefits of safe injection sites have been exaggerated.

“One of the things [advocates] have said is it’ll help get needles off the streets,” Dionne said. “That statement is so false it makes me upset. A safe injection site will not get needles off the street.”

Because safe injection is a voluntary program, Dionne said, a site is unlikely to lead to noticeable reductions in drug-related crime, littered needles, or even overdose deaths.

“Anyone that’s been to Vancouver, where they have a site, would clearly show you needles all over that area,” Dionne said. “We certainly have to do something; we’ve got to get out and help, but to me I want to help them get cured.”

Botha said the data collected at the various existing safe injection sites worldwide show very positive results.

“They are saving lives,” Botha said. “It is working.”

Botha said an injection site provides more than just a safe space to consume drugs, and offers treatment and services in a central location, which makes it much easier for users to find effective help and counselling. A safe injection site would also reduce the spread of HIV and sexually-transmitted disease, Botha said, noting Prince Albert has one of the highest per-capita HIV rates in the country.

Police chief not opposed to safe injection

Prince Albert’s Police Chief Troy Cooper told paNOW he wouldn’t oppose the creation of a safe injection site if the program can demonstrate real, positive results.

“For Prince Albert it’ll be critical to make sure that if we do decide to go down that road that we do it properly, so we don’t inadvertently harm the community while we’re trying to help it,” Cooper said.

The debate around safe injection will likely be more about health than crime, Cooper said, but added police should have a seat at the table throughout the process to ensure public safety is not compromised.

The police have always supported a balanced approach to harm reduction including treatment and counselling, Cooper said, and added a safe injection site could only be implemented as a part of a broader harm-reduction strategy.

Cooper said the city and local health region should pay close attention to Toronto, Edmonton and other Canadian cities which are closer to realizing safe injection programs, in order to learn as much as possible before moving forward.

“I think we have an opportunity to examine the experiences of others before we take a big leap,” Cooper said. “As more people offer this as a harm-reduction model, we’ll have more information about it.”

Taylor.macpherson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @TMacPhersonNews

Editor’s Note: This story was updated at 5:45 p.m., Feb. 22, 2017 to add comment from Evert Botha.