Officials from the Windsor-Essex County Public Health Unit made the announcement Wednesday during a media open house.
The project, which stems from the Windsor-Essex Opioid Strategy, received Health Canada approval on April 14, following a successful site inspection in early March.
The Safepoint Center will provide a variety of services, including sterile equipment and naloxone kits. Users may also be referred to addiction treatment and recovery, and mental health services.
It will have a main consumption room supervised by nurses, a washroom, an observation room and a rest area. The center also has a security team and an alarm and video surveillance system.
The staff will be able to accommodate eight clients at a time who will be able to stay in the center for approximately 45 minutes.
During the press briefing on Wednesday, the CEO of the health unit, Dr. Ken Blanchette, reiterated the desire of the health authorities to guarantee a safe space adapted to the specific needs of users.
We offer services adapted to the needs of all, we strive to create a safe space which, we hope, will help users to overcome their addiction.
did he declare.
The health unit also announced the establishment of a partnership with Hôtel-Dieu Grace Hospital to strengthen the supervision of daily operations.
Addiction sufferers need compassion on their recovery journey, we look forward to working closely with the health unit and other partner agencies to ensure the success of this site.
said Bill Marra, CEO of Hôtel-Dieu Grace.
The hospital will notably provide additional staff for the center and will take care of responding to emergency calls.
Last year, the regional health unit counted 94 overdose deaths in the region, 8 of which may have been caused by opioid use.
The staff of the new SafePoint center will welcome users as of April 26.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Cyrielle Delmas
The end of a saga?
The opening of this center at 101 Wyandotte Street East sparked much discussion earlier this year after the new councilor for Ward 3 expressed concerns about the location chosen last year by the city council. .
An agreement was subsequently reached between the health unit and Renaldo Agostino in which the health authorities agreed to seek another location after the opening of the one on Wyandotte Street.
On Wednesday, the center’s officials explained, however, that to change location, it will be necessary to go through the entire Health Canada approval process in particular.
A report by Cyrielle Delmas
