Winnipeg Sobering Centre Will Hold 20 Patients, Provide Medical Assessments

The state is sharing specifications of its caller sobering centre, which tin clasp up to 20 group nether nan power of methamphetamine, intoxicant and different substances.

The installation astatine 190 Disraeli Fwy. has 20 rooms, each of which will beryllium equipped pinch a mattress, toilet, video surveillance, and a telephone strategy for patients to scope unit 24 hours a day, which see paramedics, physicians, and psychiatrists.

“Every azygous diligent that comes successful is going to person a thorough aesculapian appraisal by paramedics that are trained successful this activity and person been doing nan activity for a number of years,” Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service Medical Director Dr. Rob Grierson told media Monday, “and past erstwhile they’re placed into 1 of nan protective attraction cells, they will beryllium evaluated connected an ongoing basis.”

Legislation passed Nov. 5 allows group nether nan power of methamphetamine and different narcotics to beryllium detained for up to 72 hours, up from 24. Grierson says he expects astir stays astatine nan centre to beryllium shorter.

“Even though nan authorities says that group tin enactment for 72 hours, realistically I don’t deliberation group are going to beryllium staying for 72 hours,” he said.

Sixteen beds will beryllium for patients nether nan power of alcohol, overmuch for illustration Main Street Project’s protective attraction installation connected Martha Street. The remaining 4 beds will beryllium for group nether nan power of methamphetamine aliases different drugs.

“We’re going to study a batch from this exemplary and past we’ll grow nan exemplary wherever it’s appropriate,” Grierson said.

Housing, Addictions and Homelessness Minister Bernadette Smith said building began connected nan installation astir a period ago.

“This is simply a caller hope, a caller space, and a caller spot for people,” she said.

Smith says nan extremity is to link patients pinch supports for illustration lodging and addictions treatment.

“We’re building successful pathways for folks to get into treatment, to get successful to detox,” she said.

Progressive Conservative professional for Housing, Addictions and Homelessness, Jeff Bereza, says nan sobering centre is “extremely rushed.”

“If they’re conscionable trying to get group disconnected nan streets for 72 hours, but again, what’s it accomplishing different than taking them disconnected nan thoroughfare for 72 hours?” he said.

He besides said location is not capable supports for group successful agrarian Manitoba.

“I deliberation there’s measurement excessively galore questions that are unanswered present and again that’s our interest pinch this.”

190 Disraeli Fwy. was antecedently projected arsenic a location for nan province’s first supervised depletion site, but was passed complete aft area residents voiced their opposition.

The state says they are looking to unfastened 20 much beds successful early 2026, and are looking astatine looking astatine further locations successful Thompson and Brandon.