Saskatoon residents share mixed opinions after Prairie Harm Reduction closure

Opinions are mixed in Riversdale after the closure of Prairie Harm Reduction. Hallee Mandryk reports.

The closure of Saskatoon’s safe consumption site, Prairie Harm Reduction (PHR) has prompted mixed reactions throughout the city. While around 100 people attended a rally over the weekend in support of PHR, some community members say they are breathing a sigh of relief.

“If you had someone sitting on your chest as an example, that they’re moving off and you being able to breathe, that’s the general consensus we’ve had from the business owners in the area, including some of the residents and seniors in the high rises nearby,” Randy Pshebylo, the executive director of the Riversdale Business Improvement District told CTV News.

PHR closed its doors last week after the organization shared it was suffering from significant financial issues. Its exception was suspended, its executive director was fired, and all operations ceased.

“This wasn’t just a loss of service. This was a loss of trust, and the continuing of care that cannot be easily replaced ... What Prairie Harm offered was a very niche role in our community,” Rachelle Dauncey-Ripplinger, who worked as a family support worker for PHR, told CTV News.

“We were completely a no-fault agency. That’s that means even when there [were] other types of crises, when things may have escalated, we never shut our doors on our families. The there’s nothing else like that in Saskatoon.”

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In addition to its role as a safe consumption site, PHR provided two youth homes, educational services, and family supports.

Karen Kobussen CEO of the Saskatoon West Business Association shared that while not everyone was in support of the safe consumption site, many in the community are still wanting to support those who struggle with addiction.

“Safe consumption is just a part of harm reduction and our position has always been that harm reduction must include protection for vulnerable individuals and protection for the community,” Kobussen said. “So public health and public safety must be balanced.”

Kobussen added that as someone who lives and works in the Riversdale, she has seen a lot of uncertainty among her community.

“We don’t want to see people hurt. We don’t want to see harm to individuals at all. So, I think ... relief that perhaps there’s some change that’s going to happen in our community and also but still concerned what now like what are the alternatives now?” she added.

Saskatchewan’s minister of mental health and addictions, Lori Carr, told reporters Monday that other outreach groups in the city are expected to absorb the increased demand in services caused by PHR’s closure.

“I think that what we will see going on in Saskatoon will be a transition of services to other community-based organizations so those individuals will just be getting those services elsewhere,” Carr said.

Pshebylo told CTV News that while outreach services are important, one community does not have the bandwidth to provide all of them.

“I can say with every bit of confidence that there’s no NIMBYism in Riversdale because we have more than any other neighborhood in the city and in some cases combined,” he noted. “So, when we’re looking at distribution of social agencies where people already live, Riversdale is full and we’re looking to bring a balance back to the area.”

Pshebylo added that these services should be more evenly distributed across the city, and more neighbourhoods outside of Riversdale should have more services for vulnerable people.

“There are no services readily available where those folks already live. So, we’re looking to say, can we not do this better to focus on the clients and their needs as opposed to the agencies and the resources they have?” Pshebylo said.

Kobussen shared that while there are differing opinions regarding the best way to combat the addictions crisis, the Riversdale community is a strong one that many wish to see thrive.

“This has always been a neighborhood that has had its challenges, but it’s also had opportunities,” she noted.

“I think the people are genuinely caring. I think the businesses are genuinely caring ... it’s not an us versus them mentality. And I think we want to try to bridge that gap to really say we live here, we work here, we play here, we earn here, we support everyone here.”