Save Our Sites

The emergence of safe injection sites in Canada has been a crucial factor in reducing overdose-related deaths and overall overdose rates. Less than 1 in 10 opioid-related overdose deaths in Ontario occurred in regions with a supervised injection site. This statistic underscores the effectiveness of these sites in mitigating the opioid crisis. In Ontario, these sites have been instrumental in providing a controlled environment where individuals can use substances under the supervision of trained professionals, away from the general public. This supervision significantly reduces the risk of fatal overdoses.

Between 2017 and 2023, Canadian supervised consumption sites saw around 4.3 million visits. Currently, with 39 sites operating across the country, approximately 2,700 visits occur daily. The busiest sites can see upwards of 400 visits each day. A study in Toronto found a 67% reduction in overdose deaths within 500 meters of supervised consumption sites. Additionally, these sites offer access to essential services such as clean needles, which help prevent the spread of infectious diseases like HIV and hepatitis C. These sites have managed over 49,000 overdoses and medical emergencies, providing immediate care and preventing countless fatalities.

Jimmy, a staff member at Somerset West Community Health Centre (SWCHC) in Ottawa, has extensive experience working in social supports and is devoted to social advocacy. We asked Jimmy about his experience when Somerset West and Sandy Hill Community Health Centre had a temporary closure due to fumes. He said, “I was working on Rideau Street doing outreach. I would get to work in the morning and spot at least five people on the ground, blue, near death, just on one street block. I had to decide which one to begin life-saving procedures on based on their condition. It was not an easy choice, and the day didn’t get any easier.”

He shared that in the two weeks he was helping with overdose response on Rideau, he and his co-workers had no shortage of lives to save. “Thank goodness we were there to do so, mostly because paramedics were swamped with calls. We don't have adequate life-saving services in place to support the closure of supervised consumption sites in Ottawa, and you don't have to be on the streets to see that!”

By providing harm reduction services, safe injection sites not only save lives but also connect individuals to broader health and social services, creating pathways to recovery and stability. They offer individual services such as access to adequate healthcare, mental health supports, housing supports, drug treatment referrals, and immediate crisis intervention. Alongside the individual supports supervised consumption sites also foster a sense of community and belonging by providing support and stability to marginalized populations, including those experiencing homelessness or addiction. For instance, John, a regular visitor to a Vancouver safe injection site, shared how the site became a lifeline for him. "I was on the streets, feeling hopeless. The staff here not only provided a safe place to use but also connected me with housing and counseling services. It gave me a second chance at life."

These sensitive communities often struggle with identifying in social groups. Feeling supported and being able to identify with others in similar situations in a neutral environment is essential for confidence and identity within the community. With a greater sense of community, people are more inclined to care for the broader community as well.

Economically, the closure of these sites could lead to job losses for support workers and site staff, further destabilizing the community and reducing the availability of essential services. This could also mean an increase in homelessness rates and a higher potential for relapse among staff who have previous experiences battling addictions themselves. For example, a former addict who now works at a safe injection site in Ottawa (wishes to remain anonymous), explained, "Working here has given me purpose and stability. If these sites close, not only will the community suffer, but many of us don't have any alternate options for employment. This place is all we have and there's a lot of staff members who have turned their lives around and worry about the risk of falling back into old habits."

Therefore, maintaining and expanding safe injection sites is vital for the health, safety, and cohesion of our communities.

These statistics demonstrate the critical role that supervised consumption sites play in enhancing public health, reducing the burden on healthcare systems, and improving community safety. Closing safe injection sites has no foreseeable benefits to our communities. It threatens to reverse many years of progress and perpetuate the very problems that are being identified as reasons for closure. Closing them would be an act of intolerance, ignorance, and social irresponsibility, perpetuating the ever-apparent divide in our society and continuing the cycle of stigma and shame associated with addiction, homelessness, and mental health issues. This is a terrifying reality we all face, whether as clients of safe injection sites or as members of the general community. Taking away these services affects every one of us.