A City of Edmonton decision will no longer allow contract outreach workers to hand out clean needles and crack pipes in public transit areas..Some Edmonton transit stations have been taken over by the homeless, drug addicts and created public disorder which have residents saying they feel unsafe..However, a city transit director says he believes the city is taking a "multi-layered approach to safety and security on transit" and a new decision will now forbid the handing out of clean syringes in transit stations.."In spring 2022, an Opioid Response Team in transit spaces was established as part of Edmonton Transit’s commitment to safe, convenient and reliable transit for riders and visitors," said Director of Bus Operations for Edmonton Transit Service Ryan Birch in an email statement to the Western Standard.."This team is contracted by the City of Edmonton through Boyle Street Community Services. Over the past year, the Opioid Response Team has dispensed harm reduction supplies, such as food, naloxone, educational supplies, syringes and pipes within transit spaces and the adjoining pedways.".The City of Edmonton's transit bylaw was changed on July 5, 2021, to delete the loitering provision from The Conduct of Transit Passengers Bylaw 8353..On July 5, 2021, in response to a "recommendation" from city administration Edmonton City Council voted unanimously to pass Bylaw 19782, which replaced the anti-loitering provision from Bylaw 8353..The anti-loitering provision used to read "a person shall not loiter on transit property or in a transit vehicle for longer than required to reach their destination."."In June 2022, city council approved amendments to the Conduct of Transit Passengers bylaw, which aims to improve the safety and comfort of Edmontonians using the transit service," Birch said.."The updated bylaw strengthens existing rules around the inappropriate and unsafe use of transit property and prohibits the visible use of illicit substances in transit spaces. Please note, we can only comment about how this change affected the harm reduction groups associated with the City of Edmonton.".Birch said as of February 1, the Opioid Response Team has ceased the distribution of needles and pipes and refocused their efforts to support bylaw changes to encourage appropriate behaviour in transit spaces.."This clarified approach recognizes that even when the distribution of these supplies is combined with messaging about where to use and not use, open drug use in the spaces continues to result in safety concerns and exposure to potential harm," Birch said.."We anticipate this clarification will prevent negative interactions between those working in transit spaces and those turning to transit spaces to consume drugs. The Opioid Response Team continues to hand out food, naloxone and educational supplies on transit property.".According to Birch, the Community Outreach Transit Teams (COTT), where Transit Peace Officers team up with Bent Arrow’s outreach workers who are trained to provide a person-centred and trauma-informed response to social challenges, are focused on connecting people to resources and do not distribute any harm reduction supplies.."They connect individuals within the transit system to specialized community services such as housing, mental health care, substance use or financial assistance. The COTT team does carry naloxone kits for the purpose of drug poisoning reversal." Birch said.."I am proud to be a former @takeETSalert driver and know how incredible this organization and its staff is. I am confident with the upcoming service and safety improvements, we can continue to grow our transit system to its full potential," Amarjeet Sohi said..According to CTV Edmonton, the mayor of Edmonton applauded the change to stop handing out needles to drug addicts, saying the harm-reduction strategy was actually increasing risks for passengers and transit workers.."We were seeing that people were consuming and using [the drug paraphernalia] on transit facilities, which is not the right place to do so," Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said.."I think what we need is more supervised [injection site] locations, more properly managed locations.".Ward Anirniq Coun. Erin Rutherford argued the decision to stop giving the tools necessary to imbibe drugs is actually putting more people at risk.."We know people will still continue to use drugs, whether they have a safe needle or they don’t have a safe needle," Rutherford told CTV News Edmonton.."I don’t think it’ll stop it from happening, I think we are just putting people more at risk."
A City of Edmonton decision will no longer allow contract outreach workers to hand out clean needles and crack pipes in public transit areas..Some Edmonton transit stations have been taken over by the homeless, drug addicts and created public disorder which have residents saying they feel unsafe..However, a city transit director says he believes the city is taking a "multi-layered approach to safety and security on transit" and a new decision will now forbid the handing out of clean syringes in transit stations.."In spring 2022, an Opioid Response Team in transit spaces was established as part of Edmonton Transit’s commitment to safe, convenient and reliable transit for riders and visitors," said Director of Bus Operations for Edmonton Transit Service Ryan Birch in an email statement to the Western Standard.."This team is contracted by the City of Edmonton through Boyle Street Community Services. Over the past year, the Opioid Response Team has dispensed harm reduction supplies, such as food, naloxone, educational supplies, syringes and pipes within transit spaces and the adjoining pedways.".The City of Edmonton's transit bylaw was changed on July 5, 2021, to delete the loitering provision from The Conduct of Transit Passengers Bylaw 8353..On July 5, 2021, in response to a "recommendation" from city administration Edmonton City Council voted unanimously to pass Bylaw 19782, which replaced the anti-loitering provision from Bylaw 8353..The anti-loitering provision used to read "a person shall not loiter on transit property or in a transit vehicle for longer than required to reach their destination."."In June 2022, city council approved amendments to the Conduct of Transit Passengers bylaw, which aims to improve the safety and comfort of Edmontonians using the transit service," Birch said.."The updated bylaw strengthens existing rules around the inappropriate and unsafe use of transit property and prohibits the visible use of illicit substances in transit spaces. Please note, we can only comment about how this change affected the harm reduction groups associated with the City of Edmonton.".Birch said as of February 1, the Opioid Response Team has ceased the distribution of needles and pipes and refocused their efforts to support bylaw changes to encourage appropriate behaviour in transit spaces.."This clarified approach recognizes that even when the distribution of these supplies is combined with messaging about where to use and not use, open drug use in the spaces continues to result in safety concerns and exposure to potential harm," Birch said.."We anticipate this clarification will prevent negative interactions between those working in transit spaces and those turning to transit spaces to consume drugs. The Opioid Response Team continues to hand out food, naloxone and educational supplies on transit property.".According to Birch, the Community Outreach Transit Teams (COTT), where Transit Peace Officers team up with Bent Arrow’s outreach workers who are trained to provide a person-centred and trauma-informed response to social challenges, are focused on connecting people to resources and do not distribute any harm reduction supplies.."They connect individuals within the transit system to specialized community services such as housing, mental health care, substance use or financial assistance. The COTT team does carry naloxone kits for the purpose of drug poisoning reversal." Birch said.."I am proud to be a former @takeETSalert driver and know how incredible this organization and its staff is. I am confident with the upcoming service and safety improvements, we can continue to grow our transit system to its full potential," Amarjeet Sohi said..According to CTV Edmonton, the mayor of Edmonton applauded the change to stop handing out needles to drug addicts, saying the harm-reduction strategy was actually increasing risks for passengers and transit workers.."We were seeing that people were consuming and using [the drug paraphernalia] on transit facilities, which is not the right place to do so," Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said.."I think what we need is more supervised [injection site] locations, more properly managed locations.".Ward Anirniq Coun. Erin Rutherford argued the decision to stop giving the tools necessary to imbibe drugs is actually putting more people at risk.."We know people will still continue to use drugs, whether they have a safe needle or they don’t have a safe needle," Rutherford told CTV News Edmonton.."I don’t think it’ll stop it from happening, I think we are just putting people more at risk."
