B.C. to invest in treatment and recovery spaces in Prince George 5 years after man's death in custody

The B.C. government has promised to fund a sobering centre in Prince Georgefive years after a man died in police custody.

On Wednesday, Mental Health and Addictions Minister Sheila Malcolmson announced the government will invest $132 million over the next three years on treatment and recovery services across the province,including a new sobering and assessment centre in the northern city.

The facility, a space for people to safely sober up,is being built in responseto a recommendation made by a seven-personjury who mulled the case of Jamie Shanoss, who died in Prince George in November 2016fromacute alcohol poisoningaggravated by cocaine use.

Shanoss, 51, wasintoxicated andsleeping on a sidewalk when a police officer arrested himand took him to a cellin which to sober up, also known ascell T-1 ora "drunk tank."

Shanoss passed away less than two hours later.

Prince George RCMP Supt. Shaun Wright,who endorsed the sobering centre recommendation in his court testimony in September 2018,says the provincial commitment to build one is a "very pleasant surprise."

"This is going to be very significant for this community," Wright said to CBC News. "It's, in my opinion, something long overdue that I think will really increase the quality of life for a lot of people who are really living on the periphery of society here."

The province hasn't specifieda timeline for the facility's opening.

Prince George Mayor Lyn Hall says the province's decision tofunda sobering centre is a result of his city council's hard work.

"We've been working diligently as a city to work with [the] government particularly B.C. Housing and our Northern Health Authority around various health-care needs that we need, as the sobering centre was one of the key pieces of this," Hall said.

As part of the $132 million initiative, the B.C. government has also committed to expand outpatient recovery treatment services and aftercare for adultsliving with addictions inthe Northern Health region.

"It was really a complete package deal," the mayor said.

According to the latest B.C. Coroners Service's report, 27 people have died of illicit drug toxicity this year in Prince George as of July 31.

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