Ontario puts hold on St. Catharines overdose-prevention site

Ontario’s health minister says a new overdose-prevention site in St. Catharines will not open as scheduled.

Christine Elliott says sites in Thunder Bay, and Toronto will also be frozen as the province conducts a review on harm-reduction practices and if the sites “have merit.”

Overdose prevention sites are an extension of existing harm reduction programs that provide easy-to-access, life-saving harm reduction services. The goal is to help reduce the growing number of opioid-related overdose deaths.

Safe injection sites are more permanent locations approved by the federal government after a more extensive application process.

A temporary safe injection site recently opened on Rebecca St. in downtown Hamilton. Drug users are able to come with their drugs and be provided with clean needles and supplies. The safe injection site will be staffed by a medical professional and at least two community workers, one of which has either used drugs in the past, or are still using.

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