Health Canada approves first safe consumption site in Regina
https://www.westernstandard.news/canadian/health-canada-approves-first-safe-consumption-site-in-regina/60872
The Nēwo-Yōtina Friendship Centre has received federal approval to operate as Regina’s first supervised safe consumption site.
Health Canada granted the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act exemption on December 27 after reviewing public health and safety measures.
The centre’s Wâhkôhtowin Harm Reduction branch has been functioning as an overdose prevention site since 2021 under a temporary exemption.
The new approval allows it to provide services for the foreseeable future.
Located on Eleventh Avenue, the indigenous-led site offers adults a safe space to use drugs under paramedic supervision, which is meant to prevent overdoses and other medical emergencies.
Additional supports include drug testing for contaminants like fentanyl, access to social services, referrals to treatment programs, housing and cultural supports, Elder-led guidance, and daily meals for those in need.
According to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health, supervised consumption sites do not require provincial approval to operate.
However, the ministry emphasized that its focus is on addiction treatment and rehabilitation rather than harm reduction sites, which it does not fund.
Regina joins Saskatoon’s Prairie Harm Reduction site as the province’s second federally approved consumption site.
Advocates argue that these facilities are vital in combating the opioid crisis, as fentanyl and related substances continue to be major contributors to overdose deaths in Saskatchewan.
According to the Saskatchewan Coroners Service, 334 confirmed or suspected drug-related deaths were recorded in the province during the first 11 months of 2024—a 24% decrease compared to 2023.
Regina reported the highest number of deaths at 69, followed by Saskatoon with 53.