A harm reduction worker is disappointed by the premier’s comments on safe injection sites.
Blaine Higgs said Monday that his government will not approve any more supervised injection sites if re-elected.
Higgs added that they would also launch consultations with local governments and community members about existing sites “and what impact they are having in their communities.”
Julie Dingwell is the executive director of Avenue B, a harm reduction organization in Saint John.
Dingwell said safe injection sites are critical to helping prevent overdose deaths in a community.
“Dead people cannot recover, so we have to keep people alive so that they have options,” Dingwell told our newsroom.
“This is such a complex situation and doing something like just saying ‘well, we’re not going to have another overdose prevention site and won’t open any more’ is just turning our backs on the issue.”
Higgs said a re-elected Progressive Conservative government would focus on a recovery model to treat addictions and start investing more in treatment facilities.
As it stands currently, Dingwell said there are not enough programs in New Brunswick to help those dealing with addictions.
“For the premier to suggest that people should just go into treatment, well, there is no treatment,” she said.
Ensemble Moncton currently has the only safe injection site in the province. Avenue B has been trying to establish one in Saint John but has not been able to secure a site.
Dingwell said for many people with addictions, safe injection sites are their first step to recovery.
“People go in and they talk to people. They talk to the health-care providers on-site, maybe the social worker can help them out,” she said.
“These services are the hook to get people in the door to begin moving forward. Sometimes it’s quick, sometimes it takes a long time. No everybody is the same.”
