Advocates warn 'people will die' as a result of Ford government's decision to close CTS in Guelph, Kitchener

Health advocates in Guelph and Kitchener warn the closure of local consumption and treatment services (CTS) will lead to the deaths of scores of people.

Earlier this week, the Ontario government passed legislation that would officially close supervised consumption sites in the province. Bill 223 forces the closure of many supervised consumption sites across the province through changes to zoning laws. It was passed through expedited measures, paving the way for the sites to be shut down in March.

At a news conference at Queen's Park on Wednesday, health service providers from Guelph called for a value-for-money audit regarding the Ford government's decision, saying it was taken in the midst of an opioid and toxic drug crisis. 

Ingrid Ohls, consumption and treatment service support co-ordinator at Guelph Community Health Centre, spoke about the "shame and guilt" she experienced for her own substance use, adding it was "a barrier" that prevented her from accessing the care she needed.

Ohls noted that substances have "become even more deadly" since she stopped using them.

"The CTS is a place where people can come to feel safe and accepted. That is a huge step on the path to creating trusting relationships," Ohls said. "For a lot of people, it's the first step to feeling safe enough to seek out health care."

'It's cruel and unjust,' MPP says

Aislinn Clancy, MPP for Kitchener Centre, said Tuesday's auditor general's report revealed the decision to close the supervised consumption services was made without proper planning, impact analysis or public consultations, and concluded Ontario does not have a plan in place to respond to the opioid crisis. 

"The government is leaving our neighbours who use drugs to fend for themselves. It's cruel and unjust and it's going to make our communities less safe," Clancy said.

"With the stroke of a pen, they signed the death sentence of the tens of thousands of people who rely on these sites to stay safe."

Health Minister Sylvia Jones announced in August that the government would close supervised consumption sites across the province.

"I want to be very clear, there will be no further safe injection sites in the province of Ontario under our government," Jones said back then.

Jones said the province was shifting away from harm reduction to an abstinence-based model and it intends to launch 19 new "homelessness and addiction recovery treatment hubs" — or HART hubs.

People 'feeling hopeless,' advocate says

Ohls said many of the people who visit the consumption and treatment services site in downtown Guelph "tell us they are feeling hopeless" knowing that soon these services will no longer be available.

"Without the CTS, emergency rooms and ambulances will deal with the overflow. Without the CTS, people will die — and these deaths are preventable."

Michael Parkinson, director of the Drug Strategy Network of Ontario, said the network was "deeply disappointed" by the government move to defund consumption and treatment services in Ontario.

"There was no risk assessment done, and the full expectation is that we will see a clogging of emergency rooms, 911 emergency calls and more," Parkinson said.

"It's a crisis already in many communities right across Ontario with respect to getting an ambulance when you need it. So, we are concerned that someone may be having a cardiac arrest, they call for an ambulance and because their community is in a code red or code yellow situation, that ambulance will not arrive."

Parkinson, who lives in Kitchener, said the health minister's August announcement "blindsided everyone. There was no consultation."

People will die and they will die fairly quickly after CTS sites close in Ontario.- Michael Parkinson, Drug Strategy Network of Ontario

"This is a raging public health emergency of historical proportions. Ontario has never witnessed this kind of carnage before," Parkinson said. 

"Since this government took office in 2018, more than 22,000 people have died from drug poisoning. Most of those are preventable, and that's why we're concerned about the closure of the CTS sites and the additional prohibitions on municipalities around decriminalization initiatives around safe supply initiatives.

"When the minister says people will not die, that is absolutely not true. People will die and they will die fairly quickly after CTS sites close in Ontario," Parkinson added.

Ontario Green Leader Mike Schreiner, MPP for Guelph, also spoke at the news conference and said it's disappointing the government didn't take the time to listen to people before making its decision.

"We need CTS sites and harm reduction. We need hard hubs and more supportive housing with wrap around services," Schreiner said.

"In my own community, the City of Guelph has increased the budget for paramedic services now by half-a-million dollars because of the anticipated closure of CTS sites and the additional pressure that's going to place on paramedics and our and our health-care system."

Meanwhile, Sanguen Health Centre, which offers community health services in both Waterloo region and Guelph, has described the impending closure of Kitchener CTS as "devastating."

"Public drug use will surge, with overdoses occurring in emergency rooms, public bathrooms and on sidewalks, placing an unsustainable burden on already-strained emergency services and healthcare systems," it continues.

"At Sanguen Health Centre, we are heartbroken by this cruel and shortsighted decision. We are immensely proud of the Kitchener CTS team for their unwavering dedication to providing safety and dignity to our community's most vulnerable."