City directs CAO to weigh council’s supervised consumption site options, assuming there are any

By Collin Gallant on February 5, 2019.

cgallant@medicinehatnews.com @CollinGallant

Medicine Hat city council has asked top officials for a plan to tackle public concerns about crime near a planned supervised consumption site on S. Railway Street.

A special motion added to Monday’s agenda by Coun. Julie Friesen and passed directs city CAO Bob Nicolay to “investigate all options available to the City of Medicine Hat to deal with these public safety and business concerns.”

Friesen said the motion stems from new police statistics related to the Calgary facility released last week that showed a spike in calls to police reporting crime around the Sheldon Chumir Medical Centre.

“They have the research and information related to their site,” said Friesen. “That’s given us pause to ask some additional questions.”

Nicolay wasn’t available after the meeting and Friesen wouldn’t speculate about what the options might include, but said she expects some information as soon as possible.

The wording would suggest the tactic is to mitigate potential crime or unsightliness, though police officials have said they will closely watch the area, but lack funds for a formal plan.

Gregg Martin, owner of a funeral home near the site, has threatened to launch a lawsuit to have the plan halted.

He attended Monday’s meeting and said he was encouraged, though he’s not sure what might be outlined as a strategy.

“I think we have a difficult road ahead, it’s good to know that city council and city administration is here to work with us to find a solution,” he said. “I’m sure the business community would be happy to meet with and work with them for whatever methods they come up with.”

HIV Community Link is moving ahead with the facility, to be located at a former restaurant building on the 500 block of S. Railway Street, with grants from Alberta’s Ministry of Health.

Advocates say such sites, where addicts can take drugs under observation from a health-care professional who has access to treatments and support, are key to reducing overdose deaths related to opioid addiction.

Nearby property owners have said it will draw drug users to the area and lower their property values.

Mayor Ted Clugston, who has repeatedly stated that the province, not the city, is responsible for the creation and location of the facility, again told Hatters they should talk to their MLA.

Councillors have long stated that the city has no authority to halt the facility from opening.

“It’s preliminary, but everyone is aware now about what’s happened in Calgary with the crime statistics — that information wasn’t available to us even a month ago,” Clugston told reporters. “The No. 1 consideration of this city council is public safety … so we’ve asked our CAO to give us an update, a briefing, maybe some options about what we can do to alleviate some of these concerns … and what our legal recourse is.”

He stopped short of commenting on the potential of the city joining in a lawsuit to potentially block or relocate the facility.

“If we have to incur extra policing costs, who should pay for that? I think it should be the province,” said Clugston.

The idea of opening a supervised consumption centre in the downtown core was contentious throughout 2018, and the finalized location, announced in January, has been heavily criticized by nearby business owners and homeowners on the Southeast Hill.

The Calgary Police stated last week states that calls for service near the consumption site in that city have risen by 270 per cent.

Police Chief Andy McGrogan told the News last week those statistics are concerning, but without additional resources, adding a concerted police presence would be difficult.

“Basically we’ve got what we’ve got and we’ll obviously respond to any problems in the area,” said McGrogan, adding the site will be monitored and more funds could be requested, if needed.

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