The Broadway Theatre has raised $10,000 for an organization that was denied funding in the provincial budget.
Prairie Harm Reduction (PHR) is a clean place for people to safely consume drugs under the supervision of staff who can offer social supports.
In the Saskatchewan budget, released April 6, the safe consumption site was denied all its funding requests.
In an effort to fill the gap, the Broadway Theatre donated all its proceeds from bags of popcorn sold last week.
The six days of popcorn sales brought in $9,049, with an additional $1,000 provided from an anonymous donor.
Broadway Theatre Director Kirby Wirchenko said he hopes government can change its decision, and step up with funding for PHR.
“Our popcorn machine hopefully, is loud enough that somebody in Regina at the legislature can hear it and they can think, ‘Boy, a thousand people bought popcorn in six days, just to support PHR – that better mean something,’” Wirchenko told CTV News.
“We need to help PHR establish something long-term, which is stable funding.”
The theatre is one of many businesses that has stepped up with fundraisers for PHR.
While no funding was allocated to the safe consumption services, the province said it does support PHR with $900,000 allocated to its outreach programs.
The province’s move to reject new funding for PHR comes as Saskatchewan faces record rates of drug-related deaths and overdoses.
