Manitoba’s harm reduction plan a bust in our communities, say rural mayors

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Two northern municipalities are pushing back against increased harm reduction efforts in their communities, because they believe they are bringing more harm than good.

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“I would invite any politician pushing harm reduction as a solution to come and spend the day in Swan River, and maybe even spend the night, so they can see it for themselves,” Swan River Mayor Lance Jacobson said.

“They would see individuals shooting up on streets and church steps, they would see needles scattered in parking lots and playgrounds, and they would see businesses being robbed over and over again.”

The town of Swan River and the neighbouring municipality of Swan Valley West have passed motions in council recently “to cease and prevent the distribution of all injectable drug syringes and related paraphernalia,” as the communities try to get a handle on what Jacobson said has become “rampant” drug use and homelessness, and a community littered with used needles.

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“I am a compassionate person, I want people to get the help they need, but as the mayor, I also must focus on community safety, and it’s just not safe here anymore.”

Jacobson said needles and other drug paraphernalia continue to be handed out by harm reduction organizations in the area and by harm reduction workers with Prairie Mountain Health.

Prairie Mountain Health’s website indicates their harm reduction services currently include offering needles and other injection supplies, safer smoking kits for crack and meth, needle disposal and containers for safe needle disposal, and naloxone kits.

The current NDP government has shown to be a strong proponent of increasing harm reduction services throughout the province, Jacobson said Swan River council sees things differently.

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A resolution passed at a council meeting earlier this month calls for the town to commence “any and all necessary actions to cease and prevent the distribution of all injectable drug syringes and related paraphernalia within the town by all organizations providing such materials.”

Jacobson said he’d like to see a focus on rehabilitation services for drug users, and he also wants the province to start to look at what he called “both sides” of harm reduction, specifically when it comes to needle distribution.

“They have to take a real good look around to see how this is working out so far, because in this community what we’re doing right now is not working,” he said.

While the town pushes for changes, the neighboring municipality of Swan Valley West is taking a far more hardline approach, as a bylaw recently passed in council now makes it an offence to distribute needles, drugs, or drug supplies in the community, without first receiving written permission from council, with fines starting at $1,000.

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Swan Valley West Reeve Bill Gade said there have been growing issues with needles found in parks and playgrounds and also “piling up” in a local gravel pit where he says users often go to shoot up.

Gade admits some have been critical of Swan Valley West and Swan River councils for pushing against safe needle distribution, but he said he believes it is and will continue to cause safety issues in the community.

“Some say we’re not compassionate, and it’s something that is said every time someone tries to have a conversation about keeping people safe, and I don’t know why that is,” Gade said. “Everyone should agree that every person deserves to feel safe where they live.”

Manitoba’s Minister of Housing, Addictions and Homelessness Bernadette Smith told the Winnipeg Sun the government is listening to local leader’s concerns about harm reduction and needle distribution, but says the NDP will continue to show “compassion” to those dealing with mental health and addictions issues, while also trying to offer services to get people out of their addictions.

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“We’re a compassionate government,” Smith said “We’re listening, we’re learning, and we are working on those pathways into rehabilitation. We are hearing loud and clear from folks we need services.”

She added the province has become increasingly concerned about what Smith says has been recent spikes in the spread of infections like HIV and syphilis, as well as babies being born with congenital syphilis, and worried that without clean needles available those infections will continue to spread in Manitoba.

“So we’re trying to get in front of this, and it’s going to take some time,” Smith said.

Smith said she has reached out to Jacobsen and that the province plans to work collaboratively with Swan River and other communities with concerns about harm reduction and needle distribution while continuing to provide the services they believe are needed to keep people safe.

— Dave Baxter is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.

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