Advocate for supervised consumption site is 'cautiously optimistic' about council compromise

Windsor's downtown supervised drug consumption and treatment site is expected to open at the site currently under construction in the downtown, pending government approval, but the debate over the location isn't over.

Rielly McLaren, pastor at the Windsor Mennonite Fellowship, said he is "cautiously optimistic" about Ward 3 Coun. Renaldo Agostino's plans to compromise and withdraw his motion asking councillors to revoke their blessing for the site, known as SafePoint. 

"We want to make sure that this is something that we continue in the long term, not just short-term solutions," McLaren said.

The site is being renovated as health officials await approval from upper levels of government. They anticipate it could open as soon as the end of March.

Agostino, who represents the downtown, had put forward a motion asking councillors to revoke approval of the location at the meeting, but on Monday agreed withdraw it and put forward another motion at a council meeting in February.

"Essentially, SafePoint will open...We have found a compromise to ... finding a location and making sure it's the best location for all of downtown. There will be no gap in services for anyone. It was the perfect deal," he said.

Ward 2 Coun. Fabio Costante, the chair of the board of health, told CBC News that the compromise is that the supervised consumption site would open at its current location while the the idea of setting up a "new site selection committee" will go before the board of health for consideration.

Costante said Agostino would likely be the chair of that committee.

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) released a statement on Tuesday afternoon about the compromise, which it said will be brought forward to the board of health for a decision in the coming week. 

The statement said the health unit is "encouraged" by Agostino reconsidering the motion on Monday, and said renovations and applications toward opening the site are going ahead. 

"We continue in our commitment to working with our community and elected officials on a transparent and evidence-informed process related to the location of this life-saving service."

T.J. Bondy, host of the Windsor Speakeasy podcast, organized a rally outside of city hall on Monday afternoon.

He said he and his fellow advocates are "considering this a win" because opening the site means residents will have access to "life-saving services," but they will continue to monitor the final decision. 

"We'll keep a close eye on what happens in council chambers in two weeks and the plans moving forward," he said. 

Compromise means new location 

Agostino previously told CBC News the site's current location at 101 Wyandotte St. E., across from the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel, would be bad for businesses in the city's downtown. 

McLaren said having the site at that location would be the best for the community that needs its services. 

"If Coun. Agostino and any other committee members wants to continue to do community consultation and work to understand what we've done so far, they are welcome to do that," he said.  

"But where it is right now I think is the best place for the city of Windsor."

Costante said he is also supportive of the site's current location and has advocated for opening the site on Wyandotte street "many times." 

"The biggest concern among a lot of people is that we don't want to see any more delays in this process," he said. 

"The last thing we want is to rescind our endorsement of the site and we're back to square one and now we've got a year, two years, three years — who knows, without this service in our community." 

'People who use drugs are also citizens'

McLaren said Monday's rally at city hall and the attention the community has put on the council meeting in two weeks shows the power the public has in municipal matters. 

"[City councillors'] powers are limited, but this is happening whether they like it or not, and they can either do two things. They can interfere or they can support," he said. 

But McLaren said it is important for people who are on both sides of the consumption site debate to be able to listen to each other, because listening leads to compromises like the one Agostino is making. 

Bondy said listening to both sides of the argument also allows residents to educate themselves on what having a supervised consumption site in their neighbourhood means. 

"It's a tough thing for everyone to swallow, especially when they're first hearing about it, and there's a lot of stigma that surrounds it," Bondy said. 

"I really think it's a chance to educate the people who are concerned about it, listen to them, listen to their concerns and make sure that that the community as a whole benefits."

But McLaren said people who are uncomfortable with SafePoint in their neighbourhood should think of the people who need its services. 

"People who use drugs are also citizens, and when there's a public health crisis in any area of life, we have a responsibility as a society to attend to the needs of those citizens," he said. 

"People can't get treatment, can't get help, if they're dead, right? So this is about preserving life."