PHR hopes to secure new federal harm reduction funds

After two “no” responses from the provincial government for help to fund Prairie Harm Reduction’s (PHR) safe consumption site, the community-based organization is optimistically looking higher.

Executive Director Jason Mercredi confirmed to 650 CKOM that it will be submitting an application for the federal government’s Substance Use and Addictions Program.

The program, which was rolled out by the feds Thursday, now has a national call for proposals out. A total of $116 million has been earmarked for the proposals.

In its description, the feds said it wants to continue “to build up successful community-based programs” focused on harm reduction.

Mercredi believes PHR fits the bill.

“Oh yeah, definitely. Considering how much public support we have and the fact that we’d been able to kind of, claw this out just from community support. Not to mention we feed our outcomes for all of our contracts with the government,” he said.

PHR receives $320,000 from the Ministry of Health to run its outreach services and naloxone trainers. An additional $670,000 is given for its Family Support Program, which runs off-site, near PHR at an apartment building.

Those funds do not include anything geared specifically for the safe consumption site. The last two provincial budget cycles, PHR has been denied funding for the safe consumption site.

When asked if these federal funds send the wrong message to the provincial government, Mercredi said he didn’t feel that way.

“Anytime you can get funding from the province or the feds, it’s a good thing. Hopefully, we’ll be able to secure some federal money and make sure the province kicks in as well,” he said.

“We’re pretty excited about the opportunity. We’ll see what shakes out.”

Mercredi said it was still too early to know if the organization would be looking for funding to run the site 24-7.

“We’re going to have to sit down with some of our community partners,” he said.

“I think that’s going to give us the strongest chance to secure the funds. We have to compete with B.C., Ontario and Quebec. Saskatchewan doesn’t always get its due course. So, we’re going to have to put together a pretty strong proposal.”

On June 21, PHR expanded its hours into the evening. Instead of running 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., it’s operating a 12.5 hour day, 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Mercredi said the clients are really enjoying added access to area services, especially considering the lack of services in the area past routine business hours.

“It’s clearly needed. We basically doubled our numbers when we expanded into the evening,” he said. “It’s a safe place to go, but they can also use the washroom … I think people are pretty grateful for that.

“A lot of them don’t have a place to go.”

In 2020, there were 273 confirmed drug overdose deaths in the province — 96 more than in 2019 — with another 67 suspected cases waiting to be confirmed.

This year hasn’t been any better, with 105 drug toxicity deaths suspected and 73 confirmed in just the first 180 days of the year. The latest numbers were released at the beginning of July.