City of Winnipeg moves on illicit drugs task force

Winnipeg's illicit drug problem needs "action now," says Mayor Brian Bowman, whose inner circle passed a series of motions Tuesday in an effort to fight the issue.

Executive policy committee voted in favour of reviewing how the citycan increase scrutiny of derelict buildings where methamphetamine is used and sold, examining whether it can require scrap metal dealers to require identification when buying metal and bicycles, and providing funds to local crime prevention groups that focus on reporting illicit drug use.

The motionscome in the wake of a report released Friday by a task force created by the three levels of government.

The city also will review its zoning bylaws to make way for possible drug treatment and recovery centres as well as a safe consumption site.

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Bowman acknowledged the decision to open a safe consumption site is controversial and has very little support from the current Progressive Conservative provincial government.

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But whenever the province makes a decision tosupportany of the facilities, the city will be ready, he said.

"Ultimately, the decision will be a health one by the provincial government [but] when the province does decide to proceed, we don't want to be a barrier," Bowman told reporters following his executive policy committee meeting on Tuesday.

Election cycles shouldn't matter: Bowman

Political leaders from the other levels of government should act now and not wait until after elections in fall, Bowman said.

"There is nothing to stop both levels of government to start taking steps today," he said.

"If you look at how bad themeth crisis is right now I don't think we can afford to wait until after federal and provincial elections to take action."

The motions passed Tuesday by the executive policy committee also would support a public awareness campaign educating residents and landlords on how to identify buildings being used to deal drugs and freeing up funding to support 24-hour-a-day safe spaces in the city.