Sudbury health unit extends injection site survey

Sudburians now have a few more weeks to weigh in on whether the city needs or wants a safe injection site. 

The organization behind Sudbury's Community Drug Strategy is extending its deadline for a survey gauging the public mood around a supervised injection site.  

According to a statement from Public Health Sudbury and Districts, the study was launched in June to determine the degree of need for supervised consumption services, as well as to understand the best conditions under which services might operate in Greater Sudbury.

A supervised drug consumption site would provide a safe, sterile environment where people could inject drugs under supervision to prevent overdose.

A good number of people have already responded to the survey says Chantal Belanger, a public health nurse.

"We have over 2,000 people who have participated currently, and then we also have the 200 in-person interviews with people who inject drugs, who have also completed a survey as well," she said.

The deadline for feedback has been extended due to the summer months.

"Individuals are potentially on holidays, and now everyone is kind of getting back in a routine and we just like to remind individuals to participate if it's possible," Belanger said.

"The more responses that we can get, that means that we can get more information, more data so we can make the best recommendations to move forward," she added.

The health unit has extended the deadline to participate in the survey to Sept. 10.

Belanger says that the results will be provided to the community later in the fall, however there are plans for focus groups to also help in the community discussion.

"We can hear that in the community there are some mixed opinions, so the key piece is that everybody who does have an opinion and who wants to share it [needs] to participate in the survey, so we are aware of all the concerns and all the needs that our community is having," she said.

"A thriving community is an engaged community, and the Community Drug Strategy for the City of Greater Sudbury thanks everyone who has made this study a priority," Associate Medical Officer of Health Dr. Ariella Zbar said in a statement.

"Together we ensure Greater Sudbury continues to be a great place to live, work, and play." 

According to the group, the preliminary results will be released later in the fall on the Community Drug Strategy website.

You can take part in the survey by clicking here.