Canadian Public Health Association: Closure of consumption sites will cost lives

The Canadian Public Health Association is not happy with the provincial government closing 10 of its 23 consumption sites.

Executive Director Ian Culbert took issue with the government placing blame on these sites.

The province is closing the sites that are within 200 metres of schools and child-care centres.

Culbert contends safety can be increased with bigger budgets and full-time security guards.

He says the closure of these sites will do more harm than good to users looking for help.

Culbert goes further, saying this decision will cost people their lives.

He adds people are going to use drugs regardless, so users having a place with medical assistance and clean needles on hand reduces deaths and trips to already overwhelmed emergency rooms.

The designated sites have been ordered to close by March 2025 but are being offered an option to transition into treatment hubs the provincial government are calling Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hubs.

They’re investing $378-million into 19 HART Hubs which Health Minister Sylvia Jones says will focus on addiction treatment and “not just enabling drug use.”

(Written by: Grant Deme)