On March 13, the Ontario government announced it would stop funding for all provincially funded supervised consumption sites in the province, three of which are located in the Diocese of Toronto. This comes despite a nearly 50% increase in paramedic calls in Toronto for suspected overdose over last year and the increasing contamination of street drugs with the veterinary tranquilizer medetomidine, which does not respond to naloxone.
Supervised consumption sites offer drug checking and have the trained staff and equipment to respond to more complex overdoses. Their closure forces more people to use outdoors and in public spaces and puts a greater strain on paramedic and emergency medical services, increasing delays and wait times and making those services less available for everyone who relies on them.
Bishop Andrew Asbil has sent a letter to Premier Doug Ford, the Hon. Sylvia Jones (Minister of Health) and the Hon. Vijay Thanigasalam (Associate Minister of Mental Health & Addictions) urging them to continue funding for supervised consumption sites. A customizable template is available for individuals and parishes to send their own letters
