Safety in Calgary’s downtown area has become a major topic in the city’s mayoral election. Sonya Sharp, a candidate for mayor and council member for Ward 1, has said that she wants the province to close the supervised consumption site near the Sheldon Chumir Health Centre. She made this announcement while visiting a barber shop near the site and said that downtown Calgary is not safe in its current state.
A supervised consumption site is a place where people who use drugs can take them under medical supervision. These sites are meant to help reduce overdoses and connect people with treatment. However, many people worry that having these sites in busy areas can lead to more crime, unsafe streets, and fear among residents and workers.
Sonya Sharp said, “What is happening around here is simply not acceptable and something needs to change.” She believes that the city and the province have been discussing this problem for too long without solving it.
Sharp’s argument is that while health care services like supervised consumption sites are run by the province, public safety in downtown areas is the city’s responsibility. She said that people should be able to live, work, and enjoy downtown without fear. “Look at the amount of people we’re moving down here,” she added. “You can’t do that when you’re afraid and you’re not safe.”
The supervised consumption site, called SafeWorks, has been operating at the Sheldon Chumir Health Centre for years. In 2019, the province planned to close it as part of a “city-by-city” strategy. However, the site remained open. Last year, the province said it would only close the site if the city council approved the move.
Premier Danielle Smith, who leads the provincial government, has said, “We’re getting to a point where we have enough wraparound supports that I think we can shut down the site if the city requests it.”
Calgary’s current mayor, Jyoti Gondek, disagrees with Sharp’s plan. She believes the supervised consumption site is still necessary because closing it without offering alternative services would put vulnerable people on the streets.
“If you close the site without an alternative, all of those folks will be on the street and that is not the solution we need,” Gondek explained. She has talked with ministers about ways to improve services but said that nothing has been done yet.
The mayor also said that discussions are ongoing about breaking up the large Calgary Drop-In Centre into smaller, more accessible sites across the city.
Sharp has promised that if she is elected mayor, she will invite key leaders—including the provincial premier, Calgary police chief, and the Calgary Drop-In Centre’s CEO—to a meeting at city hall. There they would talk about how to improve safety and services in downtown Calgary.
The Calgary Drop-In Centre supports spreading out its services. A spokesperson said, “We are focused on reducing the impacts of homelessness through improved access, expanded supports, and innovative approaches such as a decentralized hub-and-spoke model of care.” They added that they are ready to work with all levels of government to strengthen support services.
Karen McPherson from the volunteer group BeTheChangeYYC also supports spreading services, but only if it’s done thoughtfully. “Having more distributed services around, especially the downtown core… would be really helpful, as long as that’s done in a supportive way where people know where to find their services,” she said.
However, not everyone agrees with Sharp’s ideas. Brian Thiessen, another mayoral candidate, called the plan “reckless.” He warned that shutting down the site without a full plan would push drug use onto Calgary’s trains and into residential areas.
“It pushes all the drug use onto the CTrains, and into the neighbourhoods around it and that’s really dangerous if you don’t have a comprehensive plan,” he said.
Sharp responded by saying that she supports the province’s future plans, whether that means finding new places for services, increasing policing, or improving city services. She said that Calgary must find ways to support residents while also keeping the city safe.
The debate over supervised consumption sites is not just about health care—it’s about balancing safety, compassion, and responsibility. Many people living in Calgary’s downtown feel unsafe, while others argue that supervised consumption sites are necessary to help people battling addiction.
Both sides agree that more services and better planning are needed. What’s clear is that this issue affects hundreds of vulnerable residents, as well as business owners and families living nearby.
The discussion over supervised consumption sites has become one of the central issues in Calgary’s mayoral race. Sonya Sharp wants to shut the downtown site and spread services to other areas, believing that this will make the city safer. Others, including the current mayor and some experts, warn that closing the site without proper alternatives could make things worse.
As the election approaches, candidates must convince voters that they have solutions that balance safety and care. Calgary’s future depends on making thoughtful decisions that protect both those in need and the broader community.
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