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Prairie Harm Reduction’s supervised drug consumption site is looking to hire additional staff and expand its hours after an impromptu community fundraising campaign netted more than $180,000.
Prairie Harm Reduction, which operates Saskatchewan’s only supervised consumption site in its building on 20th Street West, has twice asked the Saskatchewan government for funds to operate the site on a 24/7 basis. After that request was denied for a second time last month, businesses including a butcher, a movie theatre and a pole-dancing studio joined forces to raise the cash.
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Broadway Theatre sold popcorn to raise funds for Saskatoon s Prairie Harm Reduction. (Twitter/Broadway Theatre)
When Prairie Harm Reduction (PHR) was down, the community of Saskatoon stood up.
Just over three weeks following the news of the harm reduction organization’s rejection of provincial funding, more than 350 donations have come in from the community.
That’s according to a very grateful executive director, Jason Mercredi.
“It’s been kind of a crazy, whirlwind month. We had one fundraiser planned for April, Darkside Donuts. Then it just snowballed,” he said. “People have been donating in droves to the agency. It’s just been nuts.”
Governments signal their priorities through money, not words. There is no clearer evidence of this than in the recent budget unveiled by the federal government. Provincially, this pattern also holds true. Talk is cheap and funding fuels action that in the case of substance use, translates into lives saved. That is why the Saskatchewan government’s recent denial of funding to Prairie Harm Reduction is so troubling . The organization applied for.
Opinion: Prairie Harm Reduction is saving lives Denying them funding is the wrong move thestarphoenix.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thestarphoenix.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Posted: Apr 08, 2021 11:51 AM CT | Last Updated: April 8
A person holds a sign reading protect humanity as they rally in support of Prairie Harm Reduction in Saskatoonon April 7, 2021.(Matt Garand/CBC)
After Saskatchewan s government once again declined to support the province s only supervised drug consumption site in this year s budget, supporters of Prairie Harm Reduction (PHR) took to the streets in Saskatoon to show their support for the organization and criticize the government s decision.
Chokecherry Studios organized the physically distanced rally on April 7, and dozens of supporters turned out with signs and banners.
Jason Mercredi is executive director of Prairie Harm Reduction, which runs the consumption site along with a long list of services for people living with addictions, homelessness and trauma in the city s core. He said the community values the work his organization does and want to be heard.