Ontario government hires private investigators to gather info on supervised consumption sites

Facing a legal challenge over its decision to close several supervised consumption sites, the Ontario government has hired outside investigators to gather information about the sites. 

Ema Popovic, a spokesperson for Minister of Health Sylvia Jones, said the province has hired a "third party" to gather evidence about the impact of the sites, as it prepares for litigation "aimed at keeping drug injection sites open next to where children learn and play." 

Last year, the Ontario government fast-tracked legislation banning these sites from being within 200 metres of schools and daycares and effectively preventing any more from opening. The new law will force five supervised consumption sites in Toronto to shut down by the end of March. 

A legal challenge to the legislation was launched by The Neighbourhood Group, a Toronto social services agency, in December. It argues the legislation violates both the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Constitution, including the right to life, liberty and security of the person.

Bill Sinclair, CEO of The Neighbourhood Group, said staff at the agency's child-care centre were approached by investigators last week. 

Sinclair said two people came to the child-care centre and were asking about the impact of the Kensington Market Overdose Prevention Site that the agency operates. The site is one of five in Toronto that's slated to close in March because it's located near the agency's child-care centre. 

"I don't know if they didn't know that we're the same organization or they were just following their mandate, which is asking everyone," he said. 

The individuals left business cards that said they worked for an investigative services firm and said they were hired by a lawyer, Sinclair said. 

Sinclair said he's heard from other community members who have been approached by investigators as well, asking questions about how they feel about supervised consumption sites. 

"It was a bit shocking and unsettling to have it happen," he said.

In a news release, Toronto Overdose Prevention Society says it has also heard concerns from frontline workers, residents and local businesses in the city over private investigators entering buildings where supervised consumption sites are located and questioning staff members. 

Rev. Canon Maggie Helwig of the Church of St. Stephen-in-the-Fields, located near the Kensington Market Overdose Prevention Site, said she hasn't been approached by any of the investigators personally or seen them talking to people near her church. 

But word has spread about the private investigators in the area, which is making community members quite anxious, she said. 

"Obviously for people who are using this site, this just increases their anxiety, their sense of stigma, their sense that they're being blamed for whatever problems there might be in the neighborhood," she said.