Disappointment in Sudbury after NDP motion for support in fighting opioid crisis voted down

A Sudbury nurse who helps operate an unauthorized safe consumption site in the city says she's disappointed a motion was voted down last week at Queen's Park that would have declared the opioid overdose crisis in northern Ontario a public health emergency.

On Thursday, Sudbury NDP MPP Jamie West introduced the motion. It was voted down by a vote of 55 to 33.

If passed, it would have meant the provincial government would have invested more into harm-reduction programs.

Currently in northern Ontario, there is one official supervised consumption site in Thunder Bay. The Sudbury Community Drug Strategy has been collecting input to determine whether a site and its services would be a good fit for the city. A decision will be made next year whether the city will move forward and apply for such a site in Sudbury.

But an unauthorized site has already been up and running since the spring. Melanie Landry is a registered nurse who volunteers at the site. She says she's discouraged the motion didn't pass.

"We've really brought home the message that harm reduction saves lives," she said. "We're going to continue to do that."

Landry says the site sets up every Monday and will continue to do so into the winter months.

"At the moment, we just have some plans to put up a structure which is basically a tent with a tarp on top with some heaters and lights," she said. "This is really the best that we can provide right now. We feel that this service is very important."

She adds the group will continue to offer the service,  whether the province decides if Sudbury will get a permanent consumption site or not.

"The products in Sudbury are just going up and becoming more dangerous," she said.

"So definitely it's a service that needs to happen, regardless of weather or conditions we will be continuing with our service."

What's next

MPP West says he's planning to have a meeting with the associate minister of mental health and addictions later this week.

"We can't kick this can down the road anymore," he said.

"The Liberals did that in the past. [The problem] just keeps on growing and growing and it's gotten to the point now where if you don't know someone directly who's been touched by this, you're just not paying attention because it's all around us."

West says he gives credit to those working at unauthorized consumption sites "because they're trying to save lives."

"Ultimately, the government should be stepping in," he said. "It shouldn't be volunteers putting this together."

'Every life should matter'

The motion failing to pass was discouraging news for Amanda Byrne of Sudbury. Her brother Ryan died of an overdose in 2018. She says the motion not being passed shows a "lack of regard for Canadian lives."

"The fact that the government will not recognize this epidemic for what is, is heartbreaking for those who have lost and will continue to lose their loved ones," she said.

"Every life should matter and everyone should be given an equal opportunity for treatment when they seek it and not be told they need to wait."

Byrne says she will continue to fight for change in her brother's memory.

"Our lost loved ones will no longer be a statistic and we will find a way to help support those who are struggling with their disease," she said.

"The good news is this is now becoming a less taboo topic and families can now openly talk about what they are going through."