SASKATOON -- After a two-week temporary closure, Saskatoon’s only supervised consumption site is open again and accepting clients.
Prairie Harm Reduction (PHR) opted to close its doors on Nov. 23 after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19.
“We closed the drop in centre because we wanted to be as safe as humanly possible,” said executive director Jason Mercredi.
Following multiple negative tests and a two-week isolation, Mercredi said his organization worked with the Saskatchewan Health Authority to make sure enough time passed to prevent any further spread among staff.
“People are just happy that we’re open again. I think they were frustrated that we weren’t open so they couldn’t access services,” he said. “People are wanting to come in and it’s been a challenge to keep up with the numbers given the spacing limitations.”
Mercredi said if the centre was funded differently, it could have potentially avoided the two-week closure.
“We're on a fundraising budget for the consumption site, which means we have one staff member. So if that staff member has a COVID exposure, or has a positive case, we have to close and it's unfortunate but it’s the situation we're in,” Mercredi said.
“If we were properly funded, we'd have a number of staff members that we would be able to put in place, but as it stands right now, we just have to go on and so we're trying to do what we can with the limited funds that we do get some, but it's better than nothing at this point.”
Prior to opening earlier this year PHR asked the provincial government for $1.3 million to support its operations as the first and only safe consumption site in Saskatchewan. The province denied this request for funding.
- with files from CTV Saskatoon's Josh Lynn
