MEDICINE HAT, AB — The federal health minister expects 3,000 people could die this year because of the opioid crisis in Canada.
Ginette Petipas Taylor spoke at a conference in Calgary on Wednesday, calling the overdose deaths a national public health crisis.
Last month, Health Canada approved a safe consumption site in Calgary.
Sites have also been approved for Edmonton and Lethbridge.
As the number of opioid-related deaths rise, the province has said it’s counting on recommendations to see if more consumption sites in smaller communities, like Medicine Hat, would help prevent overdose related deaths.
The Medicine Hat Coalition on Supervised Consumption wanted to hear from the people who use drugs to see what the community has and what it’s lacking in terms of supports and services.
The group completed a needs assessment over the summer.
Inspector Tim McGough with the Medicine Hat Police Service has been part of the discussions and said the service is concerned about public safety and the issues officers see in the community.
He wanted to be involved in the discussions as a first responder, to see what could be done and what needs to be done.
“The police service cannot arrest it’s way out of this social issue, and drug addiction is a complex social issue,” he said. “We got together with numerous stake holders to put our heads together to figure out a way we could move forward
HIV Community Link, a community group known in the city for its needle distribution program, was involved in the needs assessment.
Executive director Leslie Hill was not available for a phone interview on Wednesday, but McGough, as part of the coalition, said the assessment shows there is indeed a need for a consumption site here in the city.
He added that a lot would need to happen before an application is made, including having a community consultation, which would give the public a chance to ask questions and voice any concerns.
McGough said the consumption site would ideally be more than just a place where people could go to use drugs. It could also be a way to help them stop using.
“It’s hopefully going to grow into an area where they have wrap around services,” he said. “So, it could be advice on safety precautions, it could be counselling and it could be hopefully the road out for somebody to get the help that they need, once they’ve made that decision that they’re going to really move forward.”
There’s no word yet on when a community consultation could happen.
McGough said the coalition is expected to meet again next month.
