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![\"RUTH](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/4535144_web1_260904-Housing-Smith-2-.jpg\")
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RUTH BONNEVILLE \/ FREE PRESS<\/p>\n
Housing Addictions and Homelessness Minister Bernadette Smith said the centre is a \u201cneeded resource.\u201d<\/p>\n
There were 4,425 detained from the time the site opened Dec. 2 until June 30, for an average of less than five hours.<\/p>\n
It began to detain those under the influence of methamphetamine or other non-alcohol substances until Mar. 4.<\/p>\n
The data show 26 people were detained for that during the first four months with the longest stay being 45.5 hours. The average length of stay was under 10 hours.<\/p>\n
Smith said a shift in \u201cdrug trends,\u201d which she called unpredictable, accounted for the reason so few were detained for non-alcohol intoxication.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have people who are acting out violently that are a danger to themselves, a danger to others. We\u2019re not seeing that as much,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re seeing more of the tranquilizer \u2014 where people are in a sedated state,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The centre is a medical model led by doctors and clinicians, the minister said.<\/p>\n
The province paid $3.7 million to purchase the building and budgeted another $5 million to renovate it to safely detain those who are intoxicated and a danger to themselves or others for up to 72 hours.<\/p>\n
The province changed legislation to extend the detention of intoxicated persons from 24 to 72 hours over concerns about the longer-lasting effects of drugs such as meth.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t MIKAELA MACKENZIE \/ FREE PRESS FILES
\n<\/p>\n Inside the 20-room detox facility at 190 Disraeli.<\/p>\n Premier Wab Kinew said last year that the new \u201cdrunk tank\u201d and legislation were intended to keep people safe from those \u201cwilding out\u201d on drugs \u2014 including the intoxicated person.<\/p>\n \n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t Smith said the centre is a \u201cneeded resource,\u201d responding to a question about whether the money invested could have been better spent elsewhere.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s another tool. It\u2019s only one of the tools, many tools that we do have as a government that we are supporting,\u201d the minister said.<\/p>\n She said people detained can get wound care and referrals to services.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s about providing a caring space so people can get connected and into treatment, if that\u2019s what they so desire.\u201d<\/p>\n carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca<\/p>\n Protective Care Centre report<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Carol Sanders Carol Sanders is a reporter at the Free Press legislature bureau. The former general assignment reporter and copy editor joined the paper in 1997. Read more about Carol<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Carol produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n
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