Preamble
Whereas: Saskatchewan’s drug toxicity deaths have risen from 2016 to 2023 by over 150%, or from 109 to 297 (as of August 2023);
Whereas: Prairie Harm Reduction in Saskatoon has operated since 2019, providing Saskatchewan’s first Safe Consumption Site for individuals to consume their substances without judgement, using sterile equipment (to reduce HIV risks), and with immediate access to trained healthcare providers
Whereas: The PHR team works to ensure that their one site remains open and available to those who need a safe place to go, all in the absence of provincial funding;
Whereas: Saskatoon’s PHR clinic served an average of 300 people per month in 2021, with over 600 people per month following the provincial government’s changes to SIS payments in 2021.
Direction
Be It Resolved That: A SPP government will provide full funding to have full-time, minimum 16-hour per day harm reduction clinics in all municipalities with over 5,000 residents.