Province holds public meeting on safe injection site in Charlottetown

Prince Edward Island’s harm reduction coordinator says the province is looking for public input on a planned safe injection site in Charlottetown.

The site, at 33 Belmont St., would be a place for people to use illicit drugs they have under medical supervision, with access to drug contamination testing.

“We want to know feedback from the community,” said Shawn Martin. “The goal there is so that we can provide a good service and so that we can work well with the community.”

His comments came after a public information session about the site Wednesday, about a month after it was announced.

P.E.E.R.S. Alliance, a harm-reduction organization based on P.E.I., is going to operate the so-called “overdose prevention site.” Staff were at the meeting Wednesday to answer questions.

“We’re really pleased to be working with them,” said Martin. “They have 30 years of experience serving Islanders and they’re the right people for the job."

Officials with the province say the site will reduce public drug use and keep used needles off the streets while reducing overdose deaths for those using drugs.

Since 2020, the Department of Health and Wellness has reported 21 opioid-related overdose deaths on the Island.

Angele DesRoches, a program director with P.E.E.R.S. Alliance, says there has been an increased presence of fentanyl in the local drug supply.

“Overdose prevention sites save lives, promote dignity, and improve public health while increasing participant’s contact with health and social services,” DesRoches said in a government news release.

The province says P.E.E.R.S. Alliance is going to start hiring and training staff to work at the site.