Ontario drug injection site study released today

Opinions differ on health, social impact of such sites

 

Vancouver's supervised drug injection site, called Insite, is a model both Toronto and Ottawa are looking at possibly adopting. (The Canadian Press)

 

A four-year study on whether Ottawa and Toronto need supervised drug injection sites will be released today.
The feasibility study, run by researchers at the University of Toronto and staff at St. Michael's Hospital, was requested by the City of Toronto in 2008 and later expanded to include Ottawa.
The issue became a focus in the Ottawa mayoral race in 2010 after former mayor Larry O'Brien voiced his opinion against the sites.
The study includes a simulation of the impact of running supervised sites in the two Ontario cities and examined factors such as costs, and the impact on infectious diseases and on nearby property values.
Researchers also considered mobile drug injection sites.

Injection sites cause controversy

Harm reduction advocates reference Vancouver's Insite program as a successful example of the controversial plan.
"They save lives, they save money, they reduce sharing of equipment and disease spread," said Holly Kramer, who co-ordinates the Toronto Harm Reduction Task Force.
"They increase access to treatment for marginalized people and they increase public order, so why wouldn't you have them?"
Critics, including Toronto Mayor Rob Ford and former Ottawa police chief Vern White, believe the sites could encourage drug use, and money would be better used in residential drug treatment centres.
Before leaving for the Senate, White also said residents would oppose a site in their neighbourhood.