City continues to work toward solutions after death at Camp Marjorie
As Camp Marjorie mourns the death of one of its residents, Regina’s city services are still working to find permanent solutions for those experiencing homelessness.
On Tuesday morning around 10 a.m. during wellness checks by volunteers, one of the residents was found in medical distress. Camp volunteers told CTV News that life-saving measures like CPR were unsuccessful.
“Residents as well as volunteers are visibly shaken,” Shylo Stevenson, communications officer for Regina Needle Recovery and Community Support said. “We have activated a critical incident stress management debrief right away to make sure our volunteers' mental health as well as our residents are looked after.”
Volunteers believe the resident died of a suspected overdose.
“This is the importance of utilizing the drug testing kits at the Friendship Centre and the importance of not using alone, so we’re not experiencing situations like this,” Stevenson said.
The Regina Police Service (RPS), Social Services, Regina Fire and EMS were all on the scene. Stevenson said the investigation into the death of the resident has been turned over to the police and the Coroner.
Officers say they conduct several safety checks daily at Camp Marjorie and continue to work with city services like Regina fire and emergency services to find solutions for those experiencing homelessness and substance use disorders.
RPS says the first step towards success is bringing struggling community members in from the cold.
“That would allow us to do some assessments because it’s very personal for the people there, they all have different needs,” Chief Evan Bray of the Regina Police Service said. “If we understand what needs they have we can understand what services ad supports we need to connect them to for long-term success."
Regina Mayor Sandra Masters expressed her sadness over the loss of life. She said Camp Marjorie has identified a disconnect in the city between those experiencing homelessness and affordable housing supports.
“The city is looking at ways we can collaborate with the government in terms of finding people housing,” she said.
SOCIAL MEDIA ALERTS
Regina Needle Recovery and Community Support took to social media over the weekend to warn the community of a batch of fentanyl that it said had been the cause of overdoses recently.
Camp Marjorie has issued similar warnings, like a Tweet last week saying there had been five overdoses in Regina within a day.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Senate expenses climbed to $7.2 million in 2023, up nearly 30%
Senators in Canada claimed $7.2 million in expenses in 2023, a nearly 30 per cent increase over the previous year.
Pedestrian, baby injured after stroller struck and dragged by vehicle in Squamish, B.C.
Police say a baby and a pedestrian suffered non-life-threatening injuries after a vehicle struck a baby stroller and dragged it for two blocks before stopping in Squamish, B.C.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
RCMP uncovers alleged plot by 2 Montreal men to illegally sell drones, equipment to Libya
The RCMP says it has uncovered a plot by two men in Montreal to sell Chinese drones and military equipment to Libya illegally.
Government agrees to US$138.7M settlement over FBI's botching of Larry Nassar assault allegations
The U.S. Justice Department announced a US$138.7 million settlement Tuesday with more than 100 people who accused the FBI of grossly mishandling allegations of sexual assault against Larry Nassar in 2015 and 2016, a critical time gap that allowed the sports doctor to continue to prey on victims before his arrest.
Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko won't play in Game 2
The Vancouver Canucks will be without all-star goalie Thatcher Demko when they face the Nashville Predators in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series.
Man wanted in connection with deadly shooting in Toronto tops list of most wanted fugitives in Canada
A 35-year-old man wanted in connection with the murder of Toronto resident 29-year-old Sharmar Powell-Flowers nine months ago has topped the list of the BOLO program’s 25 most wanted fugitives across Canada, police announced Tuesday.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.