On Tuesday, August 20, the Ontario government issued a news release related to substance use treatment services that includes “banning consumption sites near schools and daycares while investing $378 million more in 19 new treatment hubs”.
At The Royal, we believe that every life is valuable and that the path to recovery from substance use disorders requires compassion, understanding, and access to essential services.
While we welcome Ontario’s investment in mental health and addictions care, we urge the provincial government to provide a full continuum of life-saving interventions in the newly proposed Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hubs. We have strong concerns regarding the related – and permanent – closure of over half of the province’s Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS) sites.
Substance Use Disorder is a relentless and vicious disease and our communities need all the options available to keep people safe and alive. Low-barrier, safe consumption sites are an essential part of a comprehensive system of care and are often the first place people go when they need help. The potential consequences of limiting access to these life-saving services will be dire for many, particularly given our current lethal drug supply.
According to the latest research from the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, there were over 2,600 opioid-related deaths in Ontario last year. Based on data from Health Canada, there have been no reported fatalities at any CTS sites in Ontario. The decision to close CTS sites contradicts much of what we know to be true about harm reduction, and how to keep people with addictions alive so that one day, when and if they are ready, they may find help and healing.
The closure of CTS sites risks pushing help-seeking individuals into dangerous environments, increasing their risk of injury, overdose, or death. Between March 2020 and January 2024, CTS sites in Ontario reversed nearly 21,000 overdoses – saving thousands of lives and diverting thousands of people from emergency departments and hospitalizations.
We urge policymakers to work together with healthcare professionals, community leaders, users of addiction services, as well as their families to find an approach that prioritizes both the safety of our communities and the well-being of people who struggle with substance use disorders, no matter where they happen to be on their recovery journey.