Businesses weigh in on police drug enforcement in Guelph
After the Guelph Police Service announced a plan to ramp up enforcement on drug use in downtown Guelph, business owners are sharing their thoughts on the plan.
Iside Dallan has owned Apple Salon on Wilson St. in Guelph for nearly thirty years. She's seen first-hand how different the downtown core has become.
“Things have changed for sure and seeing the open drug use is definitely a concern,” Dallan said. “Some of my guests don't feel that comfortable coming downtown as they used to.”
According to police, they receive daily complaints about open drug use downtown and residents not feeling safe in the area. In response, additional officers have been dedicated to the downtown area and where lawful grounds exist, police say they will make arrests and seize controlled substances.
“It's time for change and it's time for us to work together as a community. The citizens of Guelph are quite, I think, they're quite tired of the goings on. I'm really happy that the police are finally starting to intervene,” Dallan said.
Police released information on Tuesday about two Guelph men who were arrested and now face trafficking and drug related charges. Dallan said while there's not a single answer for dealing with addictions, something needed to change.
“They need help and we need to help them. We also need to just come together as a community as we are doing,” Dallan said.
While some businesses support the idea of police arresting people for open drug use. Others say they don't think it's going to make a difference.
“We've definitely had some people who have drug issues come into the store. Sometimes we've had theft,” Shelly Thompson, a staff member at Wild Rose Consignment Clothing on Macdonnell St., said.
Thompson said while the store has dealt with some issues, they have been generally harmless and she thinks arresting users downtown won't help.
“I think it could cause more problems, but I really don't have a solution in mind,” Thompson said.
At least one other business owner, that didn't want to go on camera told CTV News, said without better social services available arresting drug users isn't going to have much of an effect.
Police don't have a time limit on how long they plan to keep this extra enforcement going.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Main takeaways from Saskatchewan's provincial election results
Scott Moe earned his second mandate as premier and his Saskatchewan Party held onto government for a fifth-straight majority, CTV News projected Monday night. But the party did not hold onto all its seats.
Missing B.C. teenager Jodi Henrickson at centre of upcoming documentary
Henrickson was a 17-year-old girl from Squamish who went missing after a house party on Bowen Island, during the then unusually warm summer of 2009.
An expert stands firm on his U.S. election win prediction. Here's what he says happened after
An American presidential historian is maintaining his previous prediction of a Kamala Harris presidency as the U.S. election hits the one-week mark.
Poilievre says it would be 'not fair' for Liberals to replace Trudeau as leader
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre thinks it would be 'not fair' for the Liberals to oust Prime Minister Justin Trudeau now, as in his view they are 'morally obligated' to keep him.
'I'm ready for an election': Bloc beginning talks to topple Trudeau gov't as ultimatum expires
Bloc Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet is starting to talk to other opposition parties about bringing down Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberal government.
Albertans overpaid on electricity bills for decades: report
A new report says when the province deregulated electricity generation in 2001, it forced Albertans to pay billions more for their power.
Nova Scotia lifts stop-work order at Halifax Walmart one week after body of teen found in oven
Nova Scotia’s Department of Labour has lifted its stop-work order at a Halifax Walmart more than a week after the body of 19-year-old Gursimran Kaur was discovered in an industrial oven in the store’s bakery.
N.S. teen charged for allegedly making threats to school
A Nova Scotia teen is facing numerous charges related to a complex swatting investigation. On Oct. 25, Nova Scotia RCMP, with the assistance of the Ontario Provincial Police, arrested a 14-year-old male at his home in Bridgewater, N.S.
Senior Modi cabinet minister linked to India-supported violence in Canada: officials
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison has confirmed a report that Canada is alleging an Indian cabinet minister and close adviser to Prime Minister Narendra Modi ordered intelligence-gathering operations of Canadians.