By Justine Kelsie

No Supervised Consumption Site at Parkside Inn

Jul 24, 2018 | 2:20 PM

Parkside Inn is no longer being considered as a location for a Supervised Consumption Services (SCS) site in Grande Prairie.

In August 2017, HIV North Society did a needs assessment for the site.  There were two locations identified as a possible home-base for the mobile unit in the spring of 2018. Executive Director Melissa Byers says based on newer data, they took Parkside Inn out of the potential places for the SCS.

“There are talks of potentially creating a supportive housing development which entails 24-hour staffing as well as security. Those individuals would most likely be trained in overdose response as well as be supported by our team. The need for consumption services in that location is no longer a need,” said Byers.

Although there hasn’t been a firm decision made for the main location, Byers says there is a need for the service near Rotary House and to serve the downtown area. The mobile unit is expected to arrive by November 16 with service possible by the end of that month. Training for service providers will start before the site arrives.

The plans for the site have been in the works since the beginning of 2017.

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Grande Prairie had a total of 27 deaths related to fentanyl in 2017 and in the first three months of 2018, there have been three. In the first three months of 2018, there have been 158 drug poisoning deaths related to fentanyl across the province.