Community scoffing at the province’s stance on supervised consumption site in the Beltline

CALGARY (660 NEWS) – If you live in the Beltline, you have probably noticed a spike in crime in the area since the city’s only supervised consumption site opened up.

That has also prompted community groups to come forward calling for the location of the site to be changed.

The issue isn’t the idea of supervised consumption sites, but the location.

READ MORE: CPS reports rise in crime around Sheldon Chumir

“They can be very, very effective. But they are also very impactful on the community. I think that is a story that isn’t being told,” said David Low, the Executive Director of the Victoria Park Business Improvement Area.

He believes the site should not be right beside a park or at a hospital.

“You do have to be extra, extra cautious when you are locating it next to a public park and an existing urgent care centre,” he said. “It needs to be for everybody, full stop. Everybody needs to be able to access this facility and not feel scared or intimidated.”

He wants the province to look at some more community feedback, but he hasn’t been encouraged by previous conversations.

“It’s heavy-handed ‘we are Alberta Health Services, we are the experts, we know best, we have to do this’. That has been reflected in their communications right up until today.”

He said the funding announcement this week simply doesn’t do anywhere near enough to address the problem.

“A day late and a dollar short. I wouldn’t even call that a drop in the bucket to begin addressing things.”