Broadway BID offers naloxone administration, security training session

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Amidst an ongoing drug crisis in the city, local businesses routinely have to play the role of first responder.

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Those experiences, which have become more and more commonplace, are why Saskatoon’s Broadway Business Improvement District is holding an event to help businesses with naloxone administration, security and more. ‘Building Safe Spaces: Strategies for Success’ is a free-to-register event that takes place Thursday from 5-7 p.m. at the Broadway Theatre.

It will allow attendees to connect with groups like the Saskatoon Police Service, the Fire Community Support Program, Prairie Harm Reduction, the Saskatoon Health Region Overdose Outreach Team, and Design Smart Security.

WHAT CAN BUSINESSES LEARN AT THE TRAINING SESSION?

Anne-Marie Cey, BID executive director, said this session aims to equip business owners and staff with tools and insight around safety, security and harm reduction. The networking and information session stems from feedback the BID received from a strategic planning session last year.

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“We did a survey, and what we found from businesses that participated was that they were very keen on learning more about safety and things like naloxone administration, who to call in different situations, and how can they de-escalate situations,” Cey said.

WHY IS THE TRAINING IMPORTANT NOW?

This training session comes as Saskatoon faces an overdose crisis, and as a Provincial Emergency Operations Centre is established to try and curb the wave of overdoses in the city. More than 300 overdoses were recorded over a two-week span, spurring the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency to step in.

Officials from the SHA and Ministry of Health said they have been working to distribute naloxone to those on the front lines, and making sure those who are recovering from overdoses are aware of recovery and other support services.

Planning for this event started a few months ago. Cey said the timing works well, and that they wanted to do this before things warm up and they see more people out and about. Cey said this event is open to every business, not just those in the Broadway area.

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“We feel that this is very important to many. We’ve heard that,” she said.

There will be a panel discussion, allowing business owners to ask questions. While no other event is in the works currently, Cey said they would consider putting together another one if the need was there.

WHAT CONCERNS DO BUSINESSES HAVE?

Businesses across the city have been raising issues such as vandalism, drug use and more, and two of Saskatoon’s libraries have had to temporarily shut their doors due to an increase in drugs and violence.

Rielly Knock, director of community relationships with the Saskatoon Fire Department, oversees both the fire community support program and the overdose outreach team. He said he’ll touch on who to call, depending on certain situations.

“Is it a situation that requires police attendance, or can a group like fire community support come and provide assistance without having to involve the police in some low-level incidents?” Knock said.

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Knock said they’ll explain what the fire community support program is and how it differs from its predecessor, the community support officers.

HOW DOES SFD HELP?

The fire department took over the program in July 2024 with an expanded mandate, covering the business improvement district, but also transit.

“They respond to a lot of those low-level calls where somebody is causing a disturbance in front of a business, or somebody is sleeping in a doorway of the business, or somebody is intoxicated and wandering around — they’re not really causing any problems, but somebody should come and help this person,” he said.

Knock said the support program can deal with many calls that are still directed to police. He said those incidents will often get pushed to the bottom of the police priority list, due to the amount of high priority incidents police are addressing.

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“We’re trying to remind people that there are other resources available, and the fire community support program is one of them.”

He said the overdose outreach team will also be there to explain the services it offers, as well as how they can support people after an overdose.

— With files from Michael Joel-Hansen

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