Planned Parenthood Regina facing barriers to finding new location, asks for patience
CBC
Planned Parenthood Regina has been without a location since the beginning of May. Its absence has left a hole in sexual health services in the city, but the organization's executive director said it is zeroing in on a new home.
"The biggest thing that we want to get across to people is that we are OK. We're going to be OK. I have every faith that we will be back and serving folks as soon as we possibly can. What we really need is support and patience," said Risa Payant, executive director of Planned Parenthood Regina.
When fully operational, the organization provides accessible contraceptives, along with sexual health programs and services, to the city and south Saskatchewan community with a focus on youth, LGBTQ people and those without health insurance.
People can access the sexual health clinic without a health card.
Right now the organization can only offer services over the phone, such as STI consults, contraceptive consults and references for IUDs. But the lack of a physical location has left some gaps.
"We were selling birth control at-cost, which is significantly reduced from what you would get at most pharmacies. So if you're someone, especially a youth, who doesn't have access to benefits and drug prescription coverage, then they were really counting on that."
Payant also said that not having a location has been confusing for some potential clients.
"We do still get messages, even last week, of people who went to our old location, saw we weren't there. You know, they're running around the city trying to find us, trying to figure out what's going on. And so that's obviously heartbreaking."
Planned Parenthood was informed in April that it had to leave the location at 1920B Francis Street by the beginning of May. Payant said the news was sudden.
"It wasn't a good fit for us and hadn't been for some time. The landlord was kind of done working with us on some of the issues that we had and just thought it was better that we part ways."
Payant said she could not comment specifically on what the issues were.
She took over the role of executive director in mid-March.
"There has been a lot of upheaval at Planned Parenthood, and I'm definitely committing to making sure that moving forward we're as stable as possible."
Payant said the new location has to be central, accessible by transit, and able to accommodate both a clinic and an office.
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