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Toronto to open interim supervised injection sites

Harm reduction workers previously set up an unsanctioned site at a tent in a downtown Toronto park

Brennan Doherty, The Canadian Press

August 14, 2017

A naloxone anti-overdose kit is shown in Vancouver, Friday, Feb. 10, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

TORONTO – The city of Toronto plans to open three interim safe injection sites within days after harm reduction workers set up an unsanctioned supervised drug use space in a downtown park.
Dr. Eileen de Villa, Toronto’s medical officer of health, said Monday that the city will run the interim sites at the locations of three planned permanent supervised injection sites while the those facilities are being prepared to fully open.
“We’re trying to open them as quickly as possible,” she said of the interim sites, adding that while she didn’t have an exact date, the sites could be up and running in a matter of days.
Coun. Joe Cressy, a member of Toronto’s board of health, said the interim sites could be open within a week.
“We needed these three sites yesterday,” he said.

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The city’s efforts come after harm reduction workers set up an unsanctioned safe injection site at a tent in a downtown Toronto park, saying the space was needed as reports of overdoses rise. Advocates said immediately opening interim drug use spaces would save lives while the city’s three supervised injection sites were constructed.
Toronto Public Health’s most recent preliminary data on opioid fatalities indicates that 87 people died from opioid use in the first half of 2016, with 135 deaths in 2015.
De Villa acknowledged that the city has been seeing more overdoses recently and said that as the interim sites operate, staff will work to ensure that the permanent safe injection sites open as quickly as possible.
“We have been seeing an increase, and that’s why we’re talking about accelerating and expediting the plans we already had in place,” she said, noting that she did not have details on exactly how many staff members would be present at either the interim or permanent facilities
“There are lots of logistics, lots of things that need to be taken care of,” she said.
Toronto Mayor John Tory said he supported the interim sites.
“I am doing everything I can to get the three supervised injection sites open permanently and, after speaking to the federal and provincial government today, work is now proceeding on an expedited basis,” he said in a statement. “Every overdose death in our city is a tragedy and is preventable.”

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Earlier this month, the city announced it would speed up the opening of all three permanent sites, and widen the distribution of the opioid overdose antidote naloxone to public health staff, community agencies and first responders.
It also asked local police to consider having some officers carry naloxone.
On Monday, Toronto police deputy chief Mike Federico advised anyone dealing with an overdose to call 911.
“To the Toronto Police Service, an overdose call is a medical emergency, not a law enforcement issue,” he said in a statement. “Our job is to get treatment to those who need it as soon as possible.”
Many Canadian cities have grappled with drug overdose deaths in recent months. Vancouver recorded 25 deaths and nearly 600 overdose calls in June alone.