Winnipeg’s first supervised consumption site is officially opening next month. A spokesperson for the Manitoba government confirmed with CTV News on Tuesday that the site at 366 Henry Avenue in Winnipeg will be fully open starting on Aug. 11. “The supervised consumption site is gradually opening to fully train staff to give Manitobans the support they need,” the spokesperson said in a statement. The spokesperson said Aboriginal Health and Wellness have been conducting training days for staff and will continue to do so throughout July. The site will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. “The operational hours have been informed by best-practice medical knowledge from other Canadian sites and guidance from community partners,” the spokesperson said. “This approach ensures that every Manitoban that comes to the supervised consumption site walks into a secure, controlled environment with the best harm reduction and connection to social and medical supports possible.” The site will provide drug testing and a space to use drugs, specifically by injection, with staff on hand. There will also be information about addiction support and treatment. The site was created to address a growing overdose and drug use crisis in Winnipeg. Critics of the supervised consumption site have said in other cities, the areas have become magnets for crime and open drug use and have led to neighbourhoods becoming unsafe. -with files from CTV’s Katherine Dow and Jon Hendricks
