Some Winnipeggers ‘disappointed’ with process for supervised consumption site

Concerns are sparking after the Manitoba provincial government announced the proposed location for its supervised consumption site (SCS).

While some advocates have heralded the move as one that will save lives, others say they aren’t feeling heard.

Amy Robinson, the housing chair on the Point Douglas Residents Committee (PDRC) said, “From our perspective, we were just really disappointed that residents didn’t get to be a part of the consultation process.”

Robinson said the committee was alerted about the potential for the SCS to be set up in Point Douglas, and given an invitation to meet privately with the Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre.

“Our position was, and still is, that we didn’t want to have a closed-door meeting. We felt that could be misconstrued by the community as potentially a backdoor deal, something like that. So we were advocating to have the community part of the consultation process with us. So the meeting ended up not happening,” she said.

2:20 Manitoba’s supervised drug consumption site proposed for Winnipeg core area

Later, the province invited the committee to meet, but the same day the interviews were arranged, the application to put the site at 200 Disraeli had already been submitted.

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Meanwhile, online, some Point Douglas residents have vocalized concern about the location of the SCS.

A petition was launched, and as of Thursday evening had 413 signatures. A part of the description reads, “How is Point Douglas being considered as the right spot for this site? This community has pre-schools, kindergartens, elementary schools, community centres, daycares, women centres and senior centres that support some of the most vulnerable people in Winnipeg.  This is a problem.”

It asks for the site to be moved at least one kilometre away from schools, community centres and women’s and seniors centres.

But Robinson said the concern doesn’t mean the community isn’t also concerned for the safety of drug users.

“This doesn’t have to be such a polarized issue… People have concerns for the safety of individuals who are using, people have concerns for children, people have concerns for residents. I don’t think they’re mutually exclusive,” she said.

“At this point I’m going out on a limb saying this, but I think we’d be hard-pressed to find people, particularly in Point Douglas, who aren’t impacted on both sides of the issue.”

Just around the corner from the proposed location, David Chartrand, president of the Manitoba Metis Federation, is concerned about social resources.

“By just shoving another program inside an already challenged location (where there is) overcrowding (and an) inability to provide services, it only burdens the ability to make anything work in that environment,” he said.

Chartrand also worries about the perception of vulnerable people who may, or may not, be drug users.

“I want the imagery not to be seen in such a negative light towards homeless people. They are already facing such discrimination, hostility.”

On Wednesday, addictions minister Bernadette Smith assured an eight-foot fence would surround the SCS, and that it would not proceed until it is safe and secure. She also assured continued consultations.

“We are making sure that, you know, everything is in place to ensure that that community will be better off than it is now,” she said.

This is what Robinson hopes.

“I think we just have to really, again, be very aware of what community we’re talking about. This is not a community that is opposed to helping our neighbours,” she said.

“We are a community who absolutely wants whomever our neighbour is looked after. I think that just needs to stay kind of front and centre. Like this is not a community where people are far removed from social issues.”

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