Toronto Public Health warns that closing consumption sites will lead to more opioid deaths and strain emergency services
Toronto: The closure of supervised consumption sites is raising alarms. Toronto Public Health (TPH) says this will put more pressure on emergency services and could lead to more overdoses.
In a report set for Monday’s Board of Health meeting, TPH highlights the risks of shutting down these sites. They’re calling on the provincial government to rethink its new addiction treatment strategy.
Back in December 2024, the Ford government decided to close 10 consumption sites near schools and daycares by March 31, 2025. Instead, they plan to open 19 new treatment hubs, but these won’t offer supervised consumption or needle exchange services.
Healthcare workers and advocates are worried. They believe that without these consumption sites, more people will die. The new HART hubs just don’t provide the same level of care.
TPH is urging the government to allow more access to supervised consumption sites and needle exchange services to help prevent disease spread.
While municipalities can request exemptions to open new sites, Health Minister Sylvia Jones has made it clear she won’t approve any new ones.
“These facilities save lives and connect people to services,” says acting Medical Officer of Health Na-Koshie Lamptey. The new law could lead to more preventable deaths.
From 2015 to 2023, around 3,400 people died from opioid-related issues in Toronto. The number of deaths has stayed high since the pandemic began.
Between March 2020 and May 2024, the 10 consumption sites had over 390,000 visits with no overdose deaths. At one site, there were thousands of overdose responses, showing how crucial these services are.
TPH warns that without more investment in prevention and treatment, opioid deaths could keep rising. They also mention that the closures will impact paramedics, police, and fire services.
Since 2019, paramedics have seen a 54% increase in drug-related calls, mostly due to opioids. They expect even more calls as safe consumption services disappear.
While it’s hard to predict the exact impact on police and fire services, TPH notes that calls around consumption sites have generally gone down since the pandemic.
TPH’s application for a new HART hub was approved earlier this month, and they hope to start services in spring 2025.
