City committee pauses development proposal for fixed SCS at Wapiti House

Johnathon Fortune presented to committee an accessory building which, if accepted, would be used as a Community Outreach Facility to operate programs, services, and support, with a supervised consumption site in a modular unit located on the existing parking lot, north of the Wapiti House.

This came after the provincial government confirmed in May 2021 that the Mobile Supervised Consumption Site in Grande Prairie is set to be discontinued, as it will transition the use into the Wapiti House homeless shelter.

The committee, consisting of Pilat, Mayor Jackie Clayton and Councillor Chris Thiessen, made this decision in a unanimous vote to not accept the development permit after both the committee’s and community concerns were heard about the further risk such a site could have on the downtown core.

Councillor Dylan Bressey, who is part of the committee, removed himself from the discussion and decision due to a perceived conflict of interest.

There were 13 objections from neighbouring businesses to a fixed safe consumption site from prior feedback, as well as several community members at the meeting who voiced their concerns about having a fixed consumption site in downtown Grande Prairie.

Pilat suggests those concerns from the community brought light to how businesses in the downtown core felt about the request.

“The big thing with hearing the complaints in the community, and specifically the Downtown Association, our city invests a lot of money in our downtown core and we really do want to make it a vibrant part of the city.”

Pilat says he hopes the next council will gain more information on ideas about where the best location would be for a safe consumption site in Grande Prairie.

“I think we had some really legitimate concerns brought forward that I don’t think we could make this decision on, so I think the pause was just to get more information from the province, and some communication there, and also locally try and get a better plan on what the Wapiti House and that area could look like and this being located there more permanently.”

Pilat says the committee directed the Mayor to write a letter to the province regarding safe consumption site locations, the impact they have on the community, and alternatives that would be available.

“I think for me and most of council was having that conversation with the province about where they are at and getting a little bit more educated on what they’re thinking, and where they see safe consumption going.”

Committee also directed administration to bring back a report regarding potential fencing, site access, and stormwater management for this site.

Pilat suggests council’s hope for this is to see the options available in efforts to benefit users at the Wapiti House, as well as businesses and residents in the downtown core.

“I think on our term, council talked a lot about what we’re going to do with the vulnerable population, and Wapiti House hasn’t been maybe talked about enough,” Pilat said.

“I think what that motion does, is it gives this council and potentially next council a good chance to weigh in on how to improve that site.”

by Abby Zieverink

City committee pauses development proposal for fixed SCS at Wapiti House

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