Lethbridge mayor Blaine Hyggen was recently in Timmins, Ontario to discuss issues and challenges surrounding substance use in the community.
Hyggen was joined by other elected officials, as well as Lethbridge Police Service chief Shahin Mehdizadeh at the Municipal Leadership on Substance Use Summit.
READ MORE: Lethbridge Police chief addresses community substance use at municipal summit
The gathering was hosted by the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction from September 5 to 7, 2024. Hyggen says it was an honour to attend the conference.
“Very few were invited to this conference and especially from out west, it was the two of us, which was quite an honour to be out there to speak on some of the strategies that we have within our community, and our province for that matter,” he remarks.
The mayor adds that every community can see struggles stemming from addiction and the event was a useful way to share best practices and ideas to tackle those issues.
“Compassion was a very big thing,” Hyggen remarks, noting when addressing substance use, it is important to treat addicted individuals with empathy.
He adds you must think about “how you deal with these folks and how do you get them to the services that are out there, because there are services available”.
“We spoke a lot about recovery and the amount of dollars the province of Alberta is investing in recovery,” Hyggen says.
“The latest news is showing there is a drop in overdose deaths.”
READ MORE: Accidental fatal drug poisonings in Lethbridge on the decline in the first part of 2024
The mayor notes that strategies as well as issues surrounding addiction are different across the country, but commends the work being done in Alberta.
“I will say that Alberta does have [many] more services, in my opinion, than other areas across the country when it comes to recovery. Others focus maybe more on the harm reduction side, so a lot of discussions [were had] around the table.”
A factor in the crisis of substance addiction is mental health, according to Hyggen. He says addressing one’s mental health is very important, and praises some of the positive actions being taken in Lethbridge.
“We’ve expanded our shelter, for example, and we’re trying to create a little more meaningful daily activities for these folks that are struggling,” Hyggen states.
“Our response teams that council has invested in – response teams to go out and meet them [addicted individuals] where they’re at – that was a big thing we heard, ‘meet these people where they’re at’, and be able to help them and connect them to the services that we [have].”
The mayor adds, “I think that’s what we’re going to continue to focus on is connecting these individuals with the services that are available because they do have services available. One big thing is VODP.”
The Virtual Opioid Dependency Program (VODP) offers individuals arrested in Lethbridge the option to immediately consult with an addiction medicine physician.
“That number and those folks will connect you with the services that can help you return to a life of sobriety and let’s face it; we all deserve that life,” Hyggen says.
The mayor notes it was interesting to hear different ideas from other municipal leaders and even if there were differing opinions, the goal remains the same everywhere: to help people in the community get the help they deserve.
