Take a look inside Montreal's newest safe injection site

A new safe injection site, Spectre de Rue, is openingin Montreal next week on Ontario Street near Panet Street.

With a budget of $1.4 million, the site is the fourth of its kind to open in Montreal since last June.

While the new site has drawn criticism for itsclose proximity to a localelementary school, Spectre de Rue's executive director, Gilles Beauregard,says it will actually help make the neighbourhood safer.

"It's a great leap for us to have this kind of service," said Beauregard, who's been in charge of the needle exchange operation for23 years. "Many people are happy to have this new service."

Find out what goes on inside Montreal's newest safe injection site

7 years ago

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The centre is located on Ontario Street near Panet Street. It's slated to open next week.

Without safe injection sites, he says, drug users end up injecting in public spaces like parks and bathrooms.

"We are there for 20 years, and nothing's happened," saidBeauregard. The site has also been hosting community feedback meetings and has been in touch with some representatives of the nearby school, cole Marguerite-Bourgeoys.

He told CBC that Spectre de Rue can accommodatefour people at a time and will be open from 9:30a.m. to 6 p.m.

When the sitefirst opens, Beauregard expects to see about 30 injections per day.

Uneasy neighbours

Christelle Perrine sends her children tothe nearby elementary school, owns a bakery across the street from Spectre de Rueand lives behind the site.

She is considering taking legal action to have the site change its hours of operation.

"This one is planned to open on a school corridor and during the day, soat the same hours as kids are going to school and back," said Perrine.

However, the Montreal police say these hours make sense, considering that the centre already gives out syringes through its existing needle exchange program.

SPVMCmdr. Simon Durocher said he doesn't expectan influx of drug users in the neighbourhood.

Still, police saythey plan onramping up security in the area just in case.

• A week after opening, Montreal's safe injections sites report success