72-hour detention facility for intoxicated people to open in Winnipeg within 2 weeks, premier says

Brittany Hobson · The Canadian Press

· Posted: Nov 06, 2025 2:28 PM EST | Last Updated: November 6

A installation wherever radical who are intoxicated tin beryllium detained for up to 3 days is slated to statesman accepting radical by the extremity of the month, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew says.

Kinew announced the timeline connected Thursday, a time aft the legislature passed a measure to widen the magnitude of clip intoxicated radical tin beryllium detained, from the existent 24-hour maximum to 72 hours.

The alteration is intended to let longer detention of radical connected methamphetamines and different long-lasting drugs.

Kinew told reporters astatine an unrelated lawsuit that the installation successful Winnipeg's Point Douglas neighbourhood could commencement accepting detainees successful the adjacent 2 weeks, and is expected to beryllium afloat operational arsenic of December.

The caller installation volition connection compassionate services that are often not seen successful "drunk tanks" wherever radical whitethorn beryllium lodged successful cells, the premier said.

"The caller installation is going to beryllium much humane, much dignified, but astir importantly, it's going to beryllium determination wherever idiosyncratic who's causing problems connected drugs tin beryllium taken truthful that they're not successful the exigency country waiting room, they're not astatine the autobus stop, they're not bugging you portion you're trying to spell to the market store," Kinew said.

The programme volition initially person constabulary enactment with Health Sciences Centre and detention installation unit to find erstwhile radical nether the power request to beryllium diverted from exigency rooms, helium said.

Employees from the non-profit Main Street Project volition unit the facility, on with paramedics and health-care staff.

The authorities said it consulted with doctors moving successful the addictions tract who were successful favour of the approach, stressing determination needs to beryllium addiction enactment and resources astatine the facility.

"We privation to guarantee that we are gathering radical and supporting, and ensuring that they tin get onto a way of recovery," said Bernadette Smith, curate of housing, addictions and homelessness.

The NDP authorities measure was supported by archetypal responders, immoderate parents of addicts and Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham, but besides led to weeks of governmental debates.

Jeff Bereza, addictions professional for the Progressive Conservatives, called the installation a "terrible" thought for radical suffering from meth psychosis, which helium said tin past longer than 3 days.

"Drug dealers are going to cognize wherever their customers are," helium told reporters connected Thursday. "They're going to usage drugs and beryllium close successful the beforehand door. How is that helping Manitobans get better?"

The Progressive Conservatives projected amendments to the measure that would necessitate yearly reporting connected the fig of radical being detained, forbid protective attraction centres wrong 500 metres of schools, daycares and akin buildings, and necessitate nationalist consultations connected caller sites. The amendments were defeated by the NDP bulk successful the chamber.

The NDP said the Tories' telephone for 500-metre buffer zones was unworkable. The Tories said they supported the bill's aims but wanted to incorporated changes based connected nationalist feedback successful a caller committee hearing.

The measure was besides criticized by immoderate assemblage groups who said holding radical against their volition for up to 72 hours efficaciously criminalizes addiction.

The bill, expected to go instrumentality successful the coming days, requires that a detained idiosyncratic beryllium assessed astatine "reasonable intervals" to gauge their intoxication. They are besides to beryllium seen by a wellness nonrecreational aft 24 and 48 hours.

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