Advocates express concerns over the potential closure of the only safe drug consumption facility in the Niagara Region, fearing it could lead to a rise in overdose fatalities and blood-borne infections like hepatitis C and HIV.
Positive Living Niagara, which runs Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS), received notice from the Health Ministry stating that the Ontario government funding for the St. Catharines site would be terminated within 90 days.
Talia Storm, the program director of Positive Living’s StreetWorks program, emphasized the grave consequences of the closure, warning that lives could be lost as a result. The funding cuts affect seven supervised drug consumption sites in Ontario, as the government shifts its focus towards treatment and recovery services through Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hubs.
In response to the impending closure, Storm highlighted the detrimental impact experienced in other Ontario communities where safe consumption sites were shut down, leading to public substance use, increased overdoses, fatalities, and a surge in discarded syringes.
CTS Niagara, operational daily, allows individuals to bring their own street drugs for consumption under the supervision of trained Niagara Emergency Medical Services paramedics. Since its establishment in 2018, the site has accommodated 89,000 visits from individuals seeking a safe environment to address their addiction needs, with over 1,520 overdoses successfully reversed.
The termination of funding for safe consumption sites poses challenges for marginalized communities, hindering access to vital health services, according to Harini Sivalingam, the equity program director of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. The HIV Legal Network and the HIV and AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario emphasized the life-saving benefits of safe consumption sites in reducing HIV infection risks and preventing deaths.
Storm raised concerns about the potential aftermath of the closures, anticipating an increase in public drug use in unsupervised locations, contributing to higher overdose rates and straining paramedic and hospital resources.
Despite the funding cuts, Positive Living Niagara remains hopeful and committed to exploring all options to reverse the decision and sustain their services.