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."

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.

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."