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The Royal Alexandra Hospital will apply to be a safe injection site, but only for its patients, said community advocates at a news conference to announce the locations Wednesday.

The sites are meant to be small facilities serving the homeless addicts currently injecting drugs in surrounding parks, in alleys and along fences, said Cecilia Blasetti, executive director of the Boyle McCauley Health Centre.

Photo by David Bloom / Postmedia

Wednesday’s announcement marks the start of a community engagement process, which allows people to ask questions and get informed before submitting their views for or against the project.

The organizers will host open houses and hand out postcards to neighbours and businesses. Final approval must come from Ottawa. Funding would come from Alberta Health.

McCauley resident Dan Glugosh, who came to the announcement to ask questions, said his community recognizes the need but is upset all three are being located in a single area. He wants more funding for addiction treatment instead.

Others objected that neighbours weren’t consulted about the locations.

Police Chief Rod Knecht worries if not done right, this could concentrate drug use around those locations and draw drug traffickers.

“They’re going to know that’s where the drug users are,” he said, calling on the organizers to ensure safe injection sites are offered in the context of addiction support, housing and other social services.

Blasetti said that’s exactly the point. “This is why we think this model is so strong … We don’t see it as a stand-alone service.”