Montreal's 1st supervised drug inhalation centre to open in Saint-Henri despite concerns

Montreal's first supervised drug-inhalation centre is opening in the St-Henri neighbourhood next week, but the new facility will offer much more than a safe space to get high.

"This is a place where people will be able to safely use drugs with the supervision of intervention workers," said Andréane Desilets, the executive director of Maison Benoît Labre.

"This place is for the use of injectable and inhalable drugs."

There is medical equipment on hand in case there is an emergency, but Desilets made it clear that people must bring their own drugs.

"We don't give out the substance. We give out the help that they need to make sure it is safe," she said.

There are also 36 studio apartments, a kitchen and drop-in centre space for the organization to provide a range of social services to those in need.

The centre will house those experiencing homelessness who are also struggling with addiction and mental illness. There will be showers, meals offered on site, medical care, social activities and other outreach services.

"Brand-new kitchen, safe, also a big improvement," said Desilets, who gave media a tour on Thursday. "We had Crockpots, trying to feed hundreds of people."

There are 36 studio-style apartments available in the new facility on Greene Avenue in Saint-Henri. (Mélissa François/CBC)

Maison Benoît Labre, a non-profit organization primarily focused on housing insecurity issues, aims to provide individuals an opportunity to regain control over their lives and reintegrate into society. It's been operating in the Sud-Ouest borough for more than seven decades. Financial support for the new facility is coming from a range of partners, including the local health agency and the provincial and federal governments.

Back in the fall, concerns were raised in the surrounding neighbourhood about opening a facility that would allow supervised drug use.

The building is located about 100 metres from Victor-Rousselot elementary school. Parents of students are among those worried about the integration of such a facility into the neighhourhood.

Not far from the building, located on Green Avenue, is a large banner hanging from a balcony that voices opposition to the supervised drug-use centre. Other neighbourhood signs complain about the types of drugs that will be used in the building, like crack, fentanyl and crystal meth.

"These are heavy drugs," said Karen Avendano, who lives just across the street.  "Our concern is for the safety of the public in general and the kids."

Besides the school, there's a park nearby as well, she said.

"We understand the concerns," Desilets said, just as there are concerns about people using uncontrolled substances on the streets of Montreal. "People are using, outside, pretty much anywhere."

In a supervised setting, she explained, people have access to health care and an intervention worker — anything they need to survive.

Last year, when opposition began to swell, local Coun. Craig Sauvé said there is no ideal place for sites that help people escape chronic homelessness or deal with addiction.

There are other supervised inhalation sites in the surrounding region, but this is a first for Montreal. There have been other, safe injection sites for some time in the city. The new facility officially opens Monday, and residents will begin arriving gradually by the end of the week.