Manitoba’s first supervised consumption site is set to fully open today in Winnipeg after lengthy delays.

The province had initially said it was aiming to open a site in 2025, but pushback on the first chosen location and other complications created delays.

The NDP government has partnered with the non-profit agency Aboriginal Health and Wellness to run the site, which will be open between Tuesday and Saturday from late morning to early evening.

The site doesn’t provide drugs but is meant as a place where the potential harms of using them can be reduced while also connecting people to support services.

The site in central Winnipeg has been criticized by some business owners and residents concerned about security, while the Opposition Progressive Conservatives have said the government should focus on treatment.

The government has said a supervised consumption site is needed to address the growing number of overdose deaths in Winnipeg and reduce the number of people openly using drugs.