The Emergency Wellness Centre in Saskatoon announced back in September that it would be turning away people who continue to use drugs as of Oct. 1, and Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Mark Arcand gave an update on the situation.
“We’ve had seven voluntary self-discharges,” Arcand said.
He explained that this meant these people didn’t want to follow the new rules.
Arcand said they have about 17 people that they’ve given warnings to.
“We give people a 48-hour ban, seven-day ban, a 30-day ban, and then if they’re still breaking all the rules they’ll be banned permanently.”
He said the centre has seen two assaults and a large seizure of drugs as part of their permanent bans.
“It tells us there’s some things that are really happening out there that people choose not to get help for.”
He said staff and relatives at the centre have said they feel safer after the changes.
More funding was announced by the provincial government on Friday, with $40.2 million being allocated for things like supportive housing spaces and emergency shelter spaces, and $49.4 million allocated over five years for more addictions treatment spaces and an improved intake system.
The announcement involved multiple government ministries, with municipalities being brought to the table to assist with the efforts.
“I think it’s a good step in the right direction, we’ve never seen an investment like this from the province.”
Arcand said an announcement like this could have been quicker, but he called the investment a starting point, noting that more investments are needed in complex needs.
He said a shelter for people with complex needs should be placed in every neighbourhood, but stressed that they need to be funded and staffed properly.
“If you don’t have proper staff and proper funds to actually deal with complex needs you’re going to have more problems in that specific neighbourhood or location.”
Arcand says the community needs to buy in, and a closer look is needed to designate where to place these facilities and what they need to look like.
“We see the problem growing, and it’s growing rapidly.”
He said this is affecting our community, noting collaboration and communication is needed to address these problems.
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