Saskatoon students advocate for safe consumption site funding

More than 100 students from the University of Saskatchewan, mostly from the College of Medicine, have penned a letter to the province calling for funding for safe consumption sites.

“As a group of primarily medical students, we understand substance use to be something that should be approached from a medical standpoint rather than a political issue,” said Adrian Teare, vice president of communication with Students for Harm Reduction and Informed Policy.

The group says this is the third consecutive budget that the Sask. Party government has decided not to fund safe consumption sites.

The letter is addressed to Premier Scott Moe, Minister of Health Paul Merriman and the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Seniors and Rural and Remote Health Everett Hindley.

The letter received several endorsements from medical groups, medical professionals and community advocates.

“In recent years, overdose fatalities have dramatically increased in Saskatchewan," the letter says.

"Between 2010-2015, Saskatchewan averaged 91 drug overdose fatalities per year. In 2020, there were 321 confirmed overdose deaths. According to the most recent report released by the Saskatchewan Coroners Service, there were 446 suspected overdose deaths in 2021, representing a 39 per cent increase from 2020 and a 390 per cent increase from the 2010-2015 average. There have been zero overdose fatalities at safe consumption sites within the province."

The group has met with Merriman and Hindley.

Teare said the funding would mean being able to increase the hours safe consumption sites are available, which is important because there isn't a predictable time overdoses will happen.

Saskatoon's safe consumption site, Prairie Harm Reduction (PHR), operates Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

“We have to continue to rely on donations and community support to open up the space to operate,” executive director Kayla DeMong said.

PHR has an annual budget of $600,000. In 2021, it was used by 508 people, making up a total of 3,680 total visits.

“It's really difficult to try and plan and to try and create a sustainable employment for our staff and create a sustainable program for the people that access our services because there is no guarantee that those donations will come,” DeMong said.

In a statement to CTV News, the province said it was spending $3.8 million on harm reduction in 2022-23.

"Distributing harm reduction services across the province, rather than focusing funds on a single site, is an important step in ensuring that Saskatchewan people have equitable access to life-saving services and supplies," the statement said.