Boyle Street drops plans for proposed overdose prevention site in southeast Edmonton

Plans for a new health hub, which would have included an overdose prevention site, are not proceeding on 81st Avenue and 101st Street in southeast Edmonton.

Boyle Street Community Services sought a development permit multiple times from the City of Edmonton's Subdivision and Development Appeal Board but was not successful.

"Boyle Street is no longer moving forward with their application and Alberta's government is not providing funding for the opening of a new drug consumption site in the Strathcona area," said Hunter Baril, press secretary with the office of the minister of mental health and addiction.

"Just as our government has said before, we are willing to take feedback from local communities when it comes to services impacting them, such as drug consumption sites."

Boyle Street had previously said Strathcona has been identified as an area of need for these services based on Emergency Medical Services and Fire Rescue Services calls related to drug poisonings. 

Called Mahihkan Kamik in Cree, meaning "wolf den," the building would have included various health services, such as harm reduction, mental wellness and recovery.

Nurses and social workers would be there to try to make sure clients don't overdose, and provide counselling and guidance to find housing. 

The CBC requested comment from Boyle Street which declined at this time.

The proposal received support and resistance from both residents and businesses in the Ritchie and Old Strathcona neighbourhoods.

Scona Concerned Citizens is a group of residents and businesses established in opposition to the health hub. 

They previously argued that with four daycare centres nearby as well as local businesses and residential buildings, the neighbourhood was not suitable for a centre where people are invited to consume drugs.

But business owners like Ben Rix, co-owner of Bent Stick Brewing, vehemently disagree, citing that a health hub would have helped those most vulnerable and who are already present in the neighbourhood and need assistance. 

"I was just walking home from work just now, and [I was] passing people that would probably make good use of those support systems," Rix told the CBC on Wednesday.

"And so it's really quite heartbreaking that politics pulled the plug on something that's needed by some really desperate people."

Rix said that there needs to be more work done in understanding the research when it comes to how safe consumption sites help those struggling with substance use. 

"It was more than just a safe consumption site. There was going to be supports that could help folks find housing and now they've got nothing," he said, expressing concern for struggling community members with winter having begun. 

"There's already so many people here in the Whyte Ave area who could use those resources ... instead of trying to get them to seek it elsewhere in the city, just people who are in crisis, you need to bring what they need to them."