While urban politicians applauded the Province of Saskatchewan for its recovery-based approach to drug policy, the City of Regina announced another round of grants for harm reduction.This week, the City of Regina announced another $385,000 was available to programs, services and initiatives to support harm reduction in Regina, something the city has funded annually since 2021.The grants aim to increase access to support services and reduce harm associated with drug use in Regina. To be eligible for the grant funding, an organization must be a registered non-profit with a proposed initiative that aligns with one of more of the four priorities of the funding stream: Overdose Prevention, Safe and Accessible Spaces, Safe and Inclusive Communities, and Strengthened Support and Connections.According to a city press release, "This grant funding reinforces the City’s commitment to providing supports that address the needs of our community who are most exposed to harm associated with drug use and to creating a healthier and more inclusive community."The maximum amount of funding available is $50,000 under minor funding and $150,000 under major funding. The deadline to submit applications is June 6 2024, and funding will be distributed in September.The province, however, has pivoted away from harm reduction towards a recovery-based approach. “Providing taxpayer-funded pipes for smoking illicit drugs and instructions for how to use them sends the wrong message to people who we want to help,” Mental Health and Addictions Minister Tim McLeod said in a press release in January.“Instead, the message coming from the health care system should be that there is hope for recovery and there is help available through treatment.”In an interview with Western Standard on Wednesday, McLeod said the province remained "excited" about its plan."There's a real movement across this country to transition to recovery oriented systems of care," McLeod said."Really what we're focusing on is healing individuals and approaching the addiction from a more holistic and individualized perspective, not focusing on the individual use of the illicit substance, because the message that we're trying to send to everyone is that there is no safe use of an illicit drug."At the same time the city announced more funds for harm reduction, the provincial cabinet was applauded at the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association in Regina for doing things differently."They quite literally applauded the approach that our government is taking when we spoke specifically about our realignment on how we're dealing with illicit substances," McLeod said."So, those municipalities are certainly supportive. And if the City of Regina chooses to continue funding as they see fit, then that's entirely in their prerogative."The Western Standard asked the City of Regina how its policy was arrived at and whether the city had consulted the province since the latter's policy changed. Only the former question was answered.The City of Regina created the Harm Reduction Funding Program in 2021 Following a council motion that allocated one-time funding of $500,000 to the Community Investment Grant Program for Harm Reduction programs.On November 25 2021, council approved the Community Safety and Well Being Plan to provide continued funding for the Harm Reduction Grant, which the city says will go beyond 2024.The city said its policy was "based on cross-jurisdictional research and local engagement with community-based organizations, administration created a list of priorities for the funding program including community need for overdose prevention sites, low-barrier and culturally appropriate spaces, and community-based outreach and addictions services."Subsequently, and as part of Administrations Community Safety and Well-Being Plan, City Administration recommended that this funding become permanent as it strongly aligned with priorities in the plan. Council approved this request, along with the endorsement of the larger Community Safety and Well-Being Plan."McLeod said the province still supported Naloxone kits and opioid agonist therapies "to protect individuals who are at risk of harm" but getting off drugs was the best option."You're not at risk of an overdose, if we can help you get over your addiction. If you're not using drugs, you're not at risk of an overdose," he said.
While urban politicians applauded the Province of Saskatchewan for its recovery-based approach to drug policy, the City of Regina announced another round of grants for harm reduction.This week, the City of Regina announced another $385,000 was available to programs, services and initiatives to support harm reduction in Regina, something the city has funded annually since 2021.The grants aim to increase access to support services and reduce harm associated with drug use in Regina. To be eligible for the grant funding, an organization must be a registered non-profit with a proposed initiative that aligns with one of more of the four priorities of the funding stream: Overdose Prevention, Safe and Accessible Spaces, Safe and Inclusive Communities, and Strengthened Support and Connections.According to a city press release, "This grant funding reinforces the City’s commitment to providing supports that address the needs of our community who are most exposed to harm associated with drug use and to creating a healthier and more inclusive community."The maximum amount of funding available is $50,000 under minor funding and $150,000 under major funding. The deadline to submit applications is June 6 2024, and funding will be distributed in September.The province, however, has pivoted away from harm reduction towards a recovery-based approach. “Providing taxpayer-funded pipes for smoking illicit drugs and instructions for how to use them sends the wrong message to people who we want to help,” Mental Health and Addictions Minister Tim McLeod said in a press release in January.“Instead, the message coming from the health care system should be that there is hope for recovery and there is help available through treatment.”In an interview with Western Standard on Wednesday, McLeod said the province remained "excited" about its plan."There's a real movement across this country to transition to recovery oriented systems of care," McLeod said."Really what we're focusing on is healing individuals and approaching the addiction from a more holistic and individualized perspective, not focusing on the individual use of the illicit substance, because the message that we're trying to send to everyone is that there is no safe use of an illicit drug."At the same time the city announced more funds for harm reduction, the provincial cabinet was applauded at the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association in Regina for doing things differently."They quite literally applauded the approach that our government is taking when we spoke specifically about our realignment on how we're dealing with illicit substances," McLeod said."So, those municipalities are certainly supportive. And if the City of Regina chooses to continue funding as they see fit, then that's entirely in their prerogative."The Western Standard asked the City of Regina how its policy was arrived at and whether the city had consulted the province since the latter's policy changed. Only the former question was answered.The City of Regina created the Harm Reduction Funding Program in 2021 Following a council motion that allocated one-time funding of $500,000 to the Community Investment Grant Program for Harm Reduction programs.On November 25 2021, council approved the Community Safety and Well Being Plan to provide continued funding for the Harm Reduction Grant, which the city says will go beyond 2024.The city said its policy was "based on cross-jurisdictional research and local engagement with community-based organizations, administration created a list of priorities for the funding program including community need for overdose prevention sites, low-barrier and culturally appropriate spaces, and community-based outreach and addictions services."Subsequently, and as part of Administrations Community Safety and Well-Being Plan, City Administration recommended that this funding become permanent as it strongly aligned with priorities in the plan. Council approved this request, along with the endorsement of the larger Community Safety and Well-Being Plan."McLeod said the province still supported Naloxone kits and opioid agonist therapies "to protect individuals who are at risk of harm" but getting off drugs was the best option."You're not at risk of an overdose, if we can help you get over your addiction. If you're not using drugs, you're not at risk of an overdose," he said.
