'Take our time': Kinew says decision not made yet on supervised consumption site location

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said the province is taking its time to find a location for a supervised consumption site in Winnipeg.

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said the province is taking its time to find a location for a supervised consumption site in Winnipeg.

The premier made the comments during a year-end interview with CTV News Winnipeg when asked about one of his party’s campaign promises to establish the site in Winnipeg’s downtown.

The premier said no decision has been made yet.

“You don't want it near a school. You don't want it in your other community sites where you got young people or elders, so there's a lot of consideration that needs to go into that,” he said. “So on this, we're going to take our time, just like with balancing the budget and getting that financial situation right.”

The idea of a supervised consumption site has been floated in recent years as a way to help deal with a growing drug overdose crisis in Manitoba. In October, Bernadette Smith, the minister of housing, addictions and homelessness, said one would be built.

The previous Progressive Conservative government was against the supervised consumption site, preferring a model focused on treatment and recovery.

Kinew said his government would be speaking with community organizations and people working and living downtown for feedback.