Motion to ask province to halt funding for SCS to be presented at next City Council meeting
LETHBRIDGE, AB – A notice of motion asking the Provincial Government to temporarily suspend funding to Lethbridge’s Supervised Consumption Site (SCS) pending a review, is expected to be introduced at Monday’s council meeting (Aug. 19).
The motion, which will be brought forward by Councillor Blaine Hyggen, and seconded by Councillor Joe Mauro, also calls for needle distribution outside of the SCS to cease. Hyggen says it may be edited somewhat prior to its introduction in council chambers, but the message behind it will remain the same.
Hyggen, who has been contacted by news organizations around the world over the last week, tells Lethbridge News NOW that many people he’s heard from in the city are concerned about crime around the SCS and Galt Gardens area, crime creeping into their neighborhoods where it wasn’t a serious concern in previous years, and residents’ overall safety. He says while he is pro-harm reduction, those citizen’s voices aren’t being heard.