Health Canada grants Lowertown safe consumption site 3-year exemption
CTV
Health Canada has granted a three-year exemption under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to one of Lowertown's safe consumption sites that will allow the facility to continue operating.
Health Canada has granted a three-year exemption under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to one of Lowertown's safe consumption sites that will allow the facility to continue operating, Inner City Health says.
The facility, known as The Trailer, is operated by Inner City Health inside the Shepherds of Good Hope building at 256 King Edward Avenue and has offered supervised consumption services since 2017.
The exemption under the Act, which allows safe consumption sites to operate, was last granted for The Trailer in September 2021 and was set to expire on Monday.
"We received notification today that our exemption has been renewed for 3 years so we are able to continue operation without interruption," said Inner City Health CEO Rob Boyd in a statement to CTV News.
"The situation on the ground has not changed with regards to the toxic drug crisis and consumption sites are a critical part of our response to this crisis along with take home naloxone, access to treatment, primary care, housing and community development."
Boyd said Inner City Health had been working for "several months" with Health Canada to receive the extension.
Health Canada confirmed it renewed Inner City Health's existing exemption in an email to CTV News.
