WRHA studying need for safe injection site in Winnipeg, despite PCs rejecting idea of consumption spaces

While the Manitoba government has thus far dismissed calls for a safe injection site, health officials behind the scenes are evaluatingthe need for one anyway, CBCNews has learned through a freedom of information request.

The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority confirmed they received a$15,000 grant earlier this year from the Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse (CRISM)to explore the viability of asafe-injection site in Winnipeg.

Sunshine House,a Winnipeg-baseddrop-in centrefocusedon harm reduction,is in charge ofadministering the funding, according to the WRHA.

MargaretOrmond, executive director of the organization,suggests the Progressive Conservative government which has previously stated there is no datato back up the need for an injection site is making an argument against a certainharm-reduction modelwithout evidence.

"They've taken a position that may not be borne out by facts," said Ormond.

"One of the key things that is clear is there has not been evidence for a statement to be made that we don't need it."

The study will explore the need for any kind ofdrug consumption spacein Winnipeg, includingsites where people who use drugs can consume them under supervision.

One of the key things that is clear is that there isn'tevidence. There has not been evidence for a statement to be made that we don't need it.- Sunshine House executive director MargaretOrmond

Ormondsaid representatives from several groups, including themselves,Manitoba Health and the Addictions Foundations of Manitoba, met earlier this year to determine what can be done aboutthe increasing prevalence of opioid addiction in the community.

Unanswered questions

"The question arose pretty quick about what exactly was needed and what exactly did a safe space look like and nobody could answer it," she said."Peoplecouldn't answer that with any kind of precision or clarity."

Ormondsays the WRHAapplied for funding inhopes of establishing a strategy.

She expects the study to take several months.The working groupwill host consultation sessionsthis August and September. Discussions will be informed bypeople who may benefit from such a facility, as well as service providers.

They aren't convinced, at least yet, that a safe injection site is the answer, she said.

"I think there is a consensus about the need to have something done. There's not certainty about what that would be, what that would look like."

The provincial government has publicly opposedasafe consumption site because of a lack of evidence.

Health Minister Kelvin Goertzenreferenced a Manitoba Health report that found 74 per cent of people who die from overdoses took the drugs at home, and he's questioned whether people would travel to a safe injection site in a central location.

The government alsofaced accusations of political interference this May when itreleased the Virgoreport proposinga safe injection site in Winnipeg only to retract therecommendationhours later, saying it was a draft report never meant to be released.

In a statement to CBC News regarding the new study, a government spokesperson said the health minister wants to help the greatest amount of peoplewith the resources at his disposal.

"Expertssuch as Dr.Rush, author of the Virgo report, have told [the minister] there isn't enough evidence to suggest drug consumption sites meet that threshold at this time," the spokesperson said.

"Nevertheless, the governmenthas demonstrated through the commissioning of the Virgo report that it supports research into issues of addiction and mental health."