Cliff Cullen explains the sobering centre will offer an alternative to police and hospital-based responses. He says the primary objective of the Thompson Sobering Centre is to provide a 24-7 safe and secure environment where non-violent publically intoxicated individuals can stay while the effects of the drugs and or alcohol wear off.  He adds it will be a facility that provides short term recovery from intoxication and a safe site where individuals are medically cleared and monitored throughout their stay by onsite personnel.

Cullen adds sobering centres across the country have proven to decrease the number of people who are publically intoxicated.

A press release from the province states that in 2019, there were over two thousand police detentions in Thompson under The Intoxicated Persons Detention Act.