The provincial government has introduced legislation that will see fentanyl, methamphetamine and hypodermic needles categorized as street weapons.
Amendments to The Safe Public Spaces (Street Weapons) Act are expected to be passed in the legislature this spring and come into force during the summer.
“Once in force, the Act will enable municipalities and First Nations to opt in to new rules to regulate the possession, transportation and storage of items potentially used as street weapons, such as large knives, machetes, hypodermic needles and bear spray,” the province said in a news release.
The province says it feels that categorizing illicit drugs and hypodermic needles as street weapons signals the significant risk the items present to public safety.
Justice Minister and Attorney General Tim McLeod said the announcement is part of the province’s commitment to create safer communities across Saskatchewan.
“This legislation represents a pivotal step in ensuring that public spaces remain places of enjoyment and comfort, free from intimidation, violence caused by street weapons and illicit drugs,” McLeod said in the release.
Saskatoon’s Prairie Harm Reduction (PHR) has expressed concerns the new legislation, which was pitched in February as part of a package of rules targeting drug traffickers, could push more vulnerable drug users into homelessness and drive up the rates of blood-borne infections.
“To look at needles as weapons and, you know, possession charges and loss of your income assistance,” PHR Executive Director Kayla DeMong told CTV News at the time.
“Those are things that will affect the people who are using substances in our community the most.”
The people responsible for the bulk [of] trafficking in illicit drugs do not rely on social assistance," she added.
The province also said it recognizes that many items used as street weapons do have legitimate legal purposes, adding the legislation will contain exemptions to ensure items can still be used for lawful purposes such as medical treatment, food preparation and protection from wildlife threats.
The province said the new rules are one part of its multi-ministry approach to create safer communities.
Other efforts includes nearly $12 million for approximately 100 new municipal police officers, $2.7 million for 14 new Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods personnel that will target “nuisance properties” and $2.5 million for the Saskatchewan Police College over the next three years.
