Brandon is getting a new 24/7 space for non-violent, publicly intoxicated people to stay while the effects of drugs or alcohol wear off, Justice Minister Cameron Friesen said in a provincial news release on Thursday. The Brandon Sobering Centre will help address public intoxication in and around the southwestern Manitoba city. It's a significant, continuing health-and-safety issue in the area, the province said, with the Brandon Police Service responding to more than 1,000 calls a year where drugs and alcohol are considered a factor. That places a burden on the health-care and justice systems, the province says. The project builds on a partnership with the City of Brandon and other groups to develop a strategy for community safety and well-being, the release says.

Source: CBC News July 22, 2021 19:18 UTC