Relatives of people who have used supervised consumption sites — or who have used them themselves — held a media event Friday in Calgary calling on the province to rethink its stance on future funding for the drug-use facilities.

Last week, a spokesperson for Alberta's health minister said there wouldn't be any additional funding for new injection sites until Jason Kenney's UCP government reviews both the impact on users and the impact such sites have on the neighbourhoods where they're placed.

The funding freeze doesn't apply to existing injection sites such as the one operated by Safeworks at the Sheldon Chumir Health Centre in Calgary's Beltline neighbourhood.

But it puts the status in limbo of the new mobile safe injection site that was planned for Forest Lawn in Calgary, as well as others in Medicine Hat and Red Deer.

Kari Ursulesco, who lost her partner, Riley Dawson, to a drug overdose in 2016, said any delays in funding for supervised consumption sites will result in people dying.

Kari Ursulesco lost her partner, Riley Dawson, to a drug overdose in 2016. She says any delays in funding for supervised consumption sites will just lead to more death. (CBC)

She said her partner had been sober for seven months following a 15-year addiction when he relapsed.

"We tried to get help in the three weeks leading up to his death, and we called the police, we went to the hospital, we went everywhere and tried to get him into treatment and it just wasn't available," she said.

"Nobody would help us, so he basically restored to using alone and he passed away."

"These sites are proven to work. People need them," she added.

Dr. Bonnie Larson, a clinical assistant professor in the University of Calgary's department of family medicine, said there is high-quality scientific evidence that harm reduction approaches such as supervised consumption sites can save lives.

"Supervised consumption is a safe and effective health intervention that plays a small but crucial role in the spectrum of care for people living with addictions," she said.

"They are similar to emergency departments within our broader health-care system. Just like emergency departments, they are a place to go when you are at high risk of severe illness or death. And you will not die there. And each time you access the service, you will have entered a system that can help."

She said such services need to be normalized, integrated and destigmatized.

"Although maybe here in Alberta, the perceptions of the neighbours is more important than the lives of people who use drugs," she said.

'People are going to die'

Jessica Holtsbaum, who lost her brother Nathan Huggins-Rosenthal to drug addiction when he was 34, said if the province insists on doing the review, it must do it transparently and quickly.

"Because every day that this is delayed, people are going to die, and that is going to be on the UCP government's hands," she said.

Jessica Holtsbaum, who lost her brother Nathan Huggins-Rosenthal to drug addiction, says if the province insists on doing a review, it must do if transparently and quickly. (CBC)

"Safe consumption services are an integral part of getting ahead of this crisis."

Jessica McEachern said harm reduction strategies saved her life.

"Until harm reduction was introduced to me, I was hopeless. I had overdosed twice. I was lucky to be alive," she said.

"And now I work … at a safe consumption site. I help my peers and support them through my lived experience."

Kym Porter from Medicine Hat, who lost her son Neil, 31, to a fentanyl overdose two years ago, said she believes a supervised consumption site could have saved his life.

"I am here because my son no longer has a voice," she said.

Porter has started an online petition urging the UCP government to reconsider its adversarial approach to the sites.



"I have no doubt he would still be alive if we had a SCS," she said. "And to see this government take away that chance from others who are struggling is heartbreaking to me."

Beltline 'ridden with crime,' says Kenney

Speaking to reporters on Friday afternoon, Kenney said the UCP campaigned on reviewing the impacts of existing consumption sites before proceeding with any additional locations.

"I am listening to the residents of the Beltline, whose neighbourhood has become ridden with crime, with anti-social behaviour, with harassment of innocent, law-abiding citizens," said Kenney.

Jason Kenney spoke to reporters about supervised consumption sites briefly at a news conference on Friday in Calgary. (Mike Symington/CBC)

Kenney said his government supports a "continuum of care" for people with addictions, which includes both harm reduction and long-term recovery. The premier pointed to promised investments in addiction recovery and treatment programs, including mental health programs.

The premier said his government will ensure services are delivered in locations where they will not cause "massive disruption" to local communities.

In a statement emailed to CBC News, Health Minister Tyler Shandro used similar language to Kenney's in speaking about a "continuum of care."

"I'm very familiar with the need for these services from my work on the Calgary police commission," said Shandro in the statement.

Shandro confirmed that the review of consumption sites will not affect existing facilities, which "will continue to operate and serve their clients."