Alberta government announces new regulations for safe consumption sites
The province announced a new set of quality standards for supervised consumption sites across the province Wednesday.
The goal of the regulations, said Jason Luan, Alberta's associate minister of mental health and addictions, was “not only to address a person’s immediate need, but also to support them in accessing the health care system and achieving lifelong recovery."
Under the new standards, safe consumption sites will be required to follow a series of requirements in order to receive a license to practise, including: data collection, staff qualifications, physical site requirements such as washrooms, clinical practise standards, as well as ensuring the safety of clients, employees, and the local community. Sites will also be required to clearly demonstrate referral options for their clients to receive addiction treatment.
Calgarians are being asked to provide feedback on proposed supervised consumption services at the Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre.
“Supervised consumption services play an important role in helping prevent opioid deaths and reducing harms associated with substance abuse,” said Dr. Nicholas Mitchell, provincial medical director of Addiction and Mental Health, Alberta Health Services.
On May 26, the province announced it was closing Calgary’s only safe injection site, Safeways. At the time, Luan’s press secretary Justin Marshall stated the site was “highly disruptive to the neighbourhood,” and the government pledged to open “two more appropriate locations” for safe consumption.
The decision came after Alberta’s deadliest year for addiction in the province’s history, with 1,144 opioid related deaths. Dr. Jennifer Jackson, an advocate for addiction support, told CTV that the decision to shut down Safeways was “devastating …. [safety concerns] are problems to solve, not reasons to pull the plug.”
As of yet, the locations of the two promised Calgary safe consumption sites have not been announced. The remaining safe consumption sites in Red Deer, Lethbridge, Edmonton and Grand Prairie will be required to comply with the new regulations or face closure as well.
Supervised consumption sites provide people with a safe and hygienic place to consume drugs that they have obtained elsewhere. Services include sterilized needles and intervention in the event of a medical emergency.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
BREAKING Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Unacceptable': Trudeau reacts after AFN chief says headdress taken from plane cabin
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief said her headdress was taken from an airplane cabin this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident 'unacceptable' and a 'mistake' on the part of Air Canada.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
'Violation': CSIS had officer investigated after she reported a superior raped her
A CSIS officer's allegations that she was raped repeatedly by a superior in agency vehicles set off a harassment inquiry, but also triggered an investigation into her that concluded the alleged attacks were a “misuse” of agency vehicles by the woman.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.