Hamilton safe drug use site says it plans to pivot to model touted by province to prevent full closure

The group that runs the supervised injection site in downtown Hamilton says the organization is still "committed" to supporting its "vulnerable clients," despite the province's move to close it and other sites down. 

In a statement posted to social media, the executive director of the Hamilton Urban Core Community Health Centre, Sandy Ezepue said the organization plans to pivot to the new hub model the government is proposing. The organization is collaborating with its partners to ensure that "essential services are not lost," she said. 

However, Ezepue also called the Ontario government's move to ban supervised drug consumption sites near schools and child-care centres a "setback" for the group's efforts — one that will likely exacerbate overdose incidents and drug-related deaths in the city.

In addition to saving lives, Ezepue said the centre's work has helped to alleviate the strain on public health resources by connecting clients with health and housing supports.

Ezepue's group operates a consumption and treatment services (CTS) site at St. Paul's Presbyterian Church at 70 James St. S, in which people who use drugs can do so with professional supervision and safety supplies on hand. 

According to Google Maps, the Hamilton site is within 200 metres of at least one child-care centre, run by the YWCA Hamilton.

YWCA head Medora Uppal previously told CBC Hamilton her organization has not had safety concerns regarding the site, and worries what might happen without it. 

"These services are crucial in reducing the risk of overdose, preventing the spread of infectious diseases, and ultimately saving lives," Ezepue said.

As of April 2024, the City of Hamilton recorded 43 deaths in 2024 that it describes as "probable or confirmed to be opioid related," on its website. Between January 1, 2024 to July 31, 2024, there were 117 suspected drug-related deaths in Hamilton, the city said.

Between April and July, over 4,100 clients visited the site, including 1,278 supervised consumption visits and 2,864 for harm reduction, peer support, education, or wraparound services, Urban Core said in its statement.

"We are not only reducing overdose incidents and decreasing the spread of infectious diseases among the public but also maintaining the respect and dignity of our clients while helping to reintegrate them into the community," it said.

New hubs won't offer supervised consumption services

Last week, Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones announced the ban, which the province said is in part to protect the safety of children and families, citing comparatively high levels of crime near Hamilton's and other city's supervised injection sites.

Later, a spokesperson for the Ministry of the Solicitor General told CBC Hamilton the government was referring to police statistics showing more reported violent crime in Hamilton's downtown Ward 2 overall relative to the city average. 

The province said supervised injection sites affected by the ban must close by March 31, 2025 unless they transition to a new model. 

The province said new Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) hubs could offer shelter beds, addiction care, primary care, supportive housing, employment support and more. However, they won't offer supervised consumption services, safer drug supply or needle exchange programs.