UCP government reviewing supervised injection sites

UCP to review supervised injection sites The new provincial government will review all supervised injection sites. CTV News Edmonton’s Bill Fortier reports.

The future of supervised injection sites in Alberta is uncertain.

The new UCP government has paused funding for proposed supervised injection sites while it conducts a review.

More than 600 overdoses have been reversed at the three downtown Edmonton supervised injection sites, where drug addicts consume with clean supplies and the attention of a medical staff.

“People are very happy that this service is there,” Streetworks Program Manager Marliss Taylor told CTV News Edmonton. “I think they would be devastated now if it went away.”

Three sites were planned for Calgary, Red Deer and Medicine Hat.

Taylor, however, said she’s not afraid of the review, where the government officials said they will study the site’s impact on community they’re in, as well as focus on treatment and recovery.

“People are concerned about this,” said Jason Luan, the associate health minister of mental health and addictions. “Have we done the proper way of providing those services?”

Marliss is choosing to be open-minded and said Streetworks will cooperate with the government to help with the review.

“I think we need to see exactly what is in play and sort of what the government is wanting to look at,” she said. “We’re very happy to cooperate though and give them the information that they need.”

Luan said existing sites will not be affected, but a spokesperson for the ministry said they will also be reviewed.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Bill Fortier