Protesters representing the Chinese community, as well as residents in McCauley and Central McDougall, expressed anger Saturday at not being properly consulted before a decision was made to place three safe injection sites into their midst.
The proposed public locations are the Boyle McCauley Health Centre on 96 Street and 106 Avenue, Boyle Street Community Services at 101 Street and 105 Avenue, and the George Spady Society at 100 Street and 105A Avenue, all locations that currently offer support for homeless people. A fourth site at the Royal Alexander Hospital would serve the hospital’s patients.
A crowd of about 200 people gathered in front of city hall, brandishing bright signs in Chinese and English, and demanded that all three levels of government supporting the sites take another look at plans. A tiny elderly woman in a wheelchair who sported a sign asking “why weren’t we informed” represented a common concern at the protest.
More than half a dozen upset community leaders spoke to the crowd, including Michael Lee of the Chinese Benevolent Association, who said the issue “goes deeper than the injection sites.”
“It goes to the right people have, to have a say on things that affect their lives,” he said, noting the “so-called public consultation” process was “really dubious.”
Organizers with Access to Medically Supervised Injection Services Edmonton held small-group information sessions and an online survey, said protester Wendy Aasen.
“There was no general consultation,” said Aasen, a 25-year-resident of McCauley.
Members of the Chinese community and downtown residents protest the proposed concentration of safe injection sites in their neighbourhoods, outside city hall in Edmonton Saturday May 6, 2017.
‘Insulted’
She says she is “insulted” by a consultation process that was not “meaningful.” Her concern is that her neighbourhood will “tip over the edge” and turn into a ghetto.
“I want them to rethink the model,” said Aasen.
Warren Champion, who lives in Central McDougall, said there are many flaws in the proposed plan. He told the crowd it would make more sense to put two small, safe injection sites around Whyte Avenue and in the west end, where opioid use is also a big problem, rather than three in east downtown.
“We know from published results that a large majority of fentanyl deaths occurred outside the urban core. Yet, 100 per cent of injection sites are going to be concentrated there,” said Champion, who said another larger community protest is planned, plus a letter-writing campaign.
In a phone interview, Ward 6 Councillor Scott McKeen said “it’s possible” the federal government could change its mind about the location of the injection sites.
“We know sites are needed in other parts of the city, the west end and south of the river. That would have helped this community say, OK, (it’s) not just us.”
Central McDougall resident Warren Champion addresses other downtown residents and members of the Chinese community during a safe injection site protest outside city hall, in Edmonton Saturday May 6, 2017.
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