As the City of Kenora addresses significant challenges with homelessness and addiction, optimism for change has come from the new Kenora Justice Centre.
Last year, the Northwestern Health Unit had a safe consumption services feasibility study done for four communities. The results have been delayed until later this March. Meanwhile, community advocates in Kenora are calling for action now amid rising overdoses and HIV cases.
Leaders with the Ontario Provincial Police and Guelph Police Service testified in the Don Mamakwa and Roland McKay coroner's inquest that public intoxication should not be treated criminally and the more services available, the better the outcome for police and communities
While dozens of people arrested for intoxication have died in jail cells over the past decade, some Canadian cities have found innovative way to keep intoxicated people out of jail cells.