Indigenous-led supervised consumption site planned for Winnipeg

The province has pledged $727,000 in support of Manitoba’s first Indigenous-led supervised consumption site.

Housing, Addictions and Homelessness Minister Bernadette Smith announced funding Friday for the Winnipeg-based site, in partnership with the Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre of Winnipeg (AHWC).

“Our government is proud to help establish the first Indigenous-led supervised consumption site with connections to health and social supports including addictions services,” Smith said in a statement.

“We know that a service model grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing, world views and perspectives is needed, and the Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre is well-positioned to ensure community needs are centred.”

The AHWC is set to lead the design and delivery of the new site, working alongside a co-ordinator from Shared Health to ensure the facility is integrated with the province’s broader mental health and addiction system.

“We’re excited to be working alongside Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre as they develop and launch this Indigenous-led supervised consumption site in Winnipeg,” said Dr. Erin Knight, medical lead for Shared Health’s Rapid Access to Addiction Medicine (RAAM).

“This space, as one part of a larger harm reduction strategy, will complement and integrate with treatment services to better support people who use drugs and contribute to a safer community for us all.”

The province said supervised consumption sites typically include a reception area, as well as consumption spaces and common areas for post-consumption — along with staff trained to deal with accidental overdoses and similar emergencies, and who can help patrons access additional health and social services.

2:04 Supervised consumption site reaction

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