Application made for harm reduction site

By Lethbridge Herald on February 4, 2021.

Herald photo by Trevor Busch The proposed site of a harm reduction operation is at 422 13 St. N.

Tim Kalinowski
Lethbridge Herald
tkalinowski@lethbridgeherald.com
A Calgary-based harm reduction society is seeking permission to distribute clean needles and other items to prevent sexually transmitted diseases among Lethbridge’s most vulnerable.
HIV Community Link has applied for a development permit from the City of Lethbridge to operate what it is calling a resource centre to provide harm reduction and needle distribution to Lethbridge residents.
Prior to the Kenney government’s change of policy and the suspension of funding for new supervised injection sites in Alberta, the organization had planned, alongside other local organizations, to open new SCS facilities in both Medicine Hat and Calgary.
Despite this previous history, HIV Community Link director of community relations and acting executive director, Ana Glavan, said the organization has no plans to pursue permission to open a new SCS in Lethbridge.
“HIV Community Link has been offering supports to those at risk of, or living with, HIV for 37 years now,” Glavan explained, “and we started offering some services in Lethbridge at the end of October 2020 to respond to a gap in supports available to people at risk of HIV in that area.
“We are not offering any kind of supervised consumption services in Lethbridge,” she confirmed. “Our mandate in Lethbridge is to support people who are at higher risk of HIV and Hepatitis C, and offer them support services, work on prevention, and ultimately, after being established, educational services as well for training or workshops.”
Glavan also confirmed her organization has no affiliation with the organization known as ARCHES in Lethbridge, which ran the previous SCS, and no future plans to bring SCS services back into Lethbridge.
“We have no plans in the foreseeable future to pursue any kind of supervised consumption service model for the Lethbridge area,” she stated. “We are in the Lethbridge area to provide support services, confidential services, to people who are at risk for HIV and Hepatitis C, and we are building our (resource centre) model on models we already have success with in Calgary and Medicine Hat, and in our 37-year legacy.”
On the topic of needle distribution, The Herald asked Glavan directly if her organization plans to put any limits on the amount of clean needles it will distribute in Lethbridge.
“We will distribute safer sex and safer substance use supplies to reduce incidents of HIV and other bloodborne diseases,” she responded. “We will help clean up needles and other drug use debris. Other organizations in the centre of the city also have a collective responsibility on this one, and we are trying to partner with everyone who has an interest in supporting this population in getting them into wellness, and making sure they are safe and the risk of HIV and Hep C is reduced.”
According to its website, HIV Community Link currently provides supports for those suffering with HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C, and provides sexually transmitted disease testing. The organization also provides safer sex and safer consumption supplies, navigation of community resources – connections to services such as addiction treatment, housing, funding, basic need, and employment supports.
In order to receive a permit to operate such a service it requires a change in permitted use of the organization’s local resource centre. The City will require the organization to provide a good neighbour communication plan and follow the standard appeal process. Lethbridge residents will have until no later than Mar. 1 should they wish to register a formal appeal with the Subdivision and Appeal Board pertaining to the permit process in this instance.
For more information on HIV Community Link visit https://hivcl.org/
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