Alberta Health Services (AHS) says a makeshift supervised consumption site at Calgary’s Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre has already had over 2,500 visits from clients since opening in the fall of 2017.
The temporary facility located in a trailer in the parking lot of the health centre was put in place until a permanent one was able to open at the centre this winter.
AHS says construction on the new, permanent site is now completed and supervised consumption services at the facility will open shortly.
In October 2017 when the project was announced, Associate Minister of Health Brandy Payne said the province would be providing $2.2 million for startup costs and renovations to both the temporary and permanent locations at the Chumir.
In total, the province will be providing operational funding for six supervised consumption sites throughout Alberta, including four sites in Edmonton and one in Lethbridge.