Lethbridge’s mayor, MLA’s weigh in on closure of Supervised Consumption Site

LNN has received statements from Lethbridge Mayor Chris Spearman, Lethbridge-East MLA Nathan Neudorf, and Lethbridge-West MLA Shannon Phillips on this development.

Chris Spearman, Mayor of Lethbridge:

The mayor began by reiterating that the SCS was legislated under the provincial government and run by ARCHES, not the City of Lethbridge itself.

His focus was on giving the people of Lethbridge the care and support they need while keeping the community safe.

“We understand there are concerns from businesses and from community members around the changes related to supervised consumption, needle pick-up, and outreach services in Lethbridge. Alberta Health has declared their commitment to move towards a treatment and recovery model of care for our community, which we believe will address many social issues in our city.”

He says the city is committed to working with its provincial health partners to ensure the needs of the community can be met.

When the city receives more details about any new services that might be offered, that information will be shared with the public.

Shannon Phillips, MLA for Lethbridge-West, NDP:

Phillips says the SCS was merely one component of the then-NDP government’s commitment to tackling the opioid crisis in the city.

She states that law enforcement, first responders, city officials, and healthcare providers came to the province to address the rising numbers of overdose deaths and to see what solutions could be worked out.

“The province responded with a number of initiatives, including needle debris cleanup, counseling, intox and detox, housing, and supervised consumption. These services have been welcomed by both the UCP and NDP MLAs who have represented our city.”

In the years since, Phillips claims that supervised consumption has been “politicized by UCP operatives outside Lethbridge.”

“Our downtown businesses, residents will suffer the consequences. We will see more overdose death in our city, and more of our neighbours will suffer, and economic recovery will be made more difficult.”

Phillis puts the blame for these foreseen issues on the current United Conservative government, adding that she believes the party is “committed to sowing chaos in the health care system, especially during a pandemic.”

Nathan Neudorf, MLA for Lethbridge-East, UCP:

Neudorf believes it was time for a change in the way these services are run.

“I am proud that the Government is working swiftly to ensure support is available for people struggling with addiction in Lethbridge given the troubling findings in the audit of ARCHES.”

He says it is important to ensure that people struggling with mental health or addictions can have access to the supports they need, including harm reduction, in a timely fashion.

Neudorf pointed to recent funding announcements that his party has made, including $10-million for two addiction recovery centres in the region, $6.6-million to grow the Bringing the Spirit Home program on the Blood Tribe, and a drug treatment court in Lethbridge.

by David Opinko

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Lethbridge’s mayor, MLA’s weigh in on closure of Supervised Consumption Site

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