Ontario to end funding to multiple drug consumption sites, forcing them to close (www.cbc.ca)

submitted 9 hours ago by HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works to c/canada@lemmy.ca

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The Ontario government says it will end funding for at least three provincially funded drug consumption sites, including two in Toronto, in a move that is drawing concern from advocates.

In letters obtained by CBC Toronto on Friday, the Ontario Ministry of Health told the Fred Victor Centre and South Riverdale Community Health Centre in Toronto that provincial funding for the consumption and treatment services sites that they operate will end in 90 days, as of June 13, 2026.

The Carepoint Consumption and Treatment Service in London, Ont., also received notice Friday.

At a news conference late Friday, harm reduction advocates said sites in Peterborough, Kingston, St. Catharines and two in Ottawa received letters from the province as well telling them that they will be shut down.

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[-] nyan@lemmy.cafe 7 points 5 hours ago

These are not exactly the first ones that have been defunded or forced to close. Ford and his government just hate the concept, no matter how much the science backs it up. (I leave open the possibility that they hate it because the science backs it up.)

[-] grte@lemmy.ca 18 points 8 hours ago

And of course, if you close the consumption site all the consumers immediately disappear with it. -Every dumbass nimby on Earth, it seems like.

[-] T00l_shed@lemmy.world 8 points 7 hours ago

Reminds me of Mike "the knife" Harris, who cut so much mental health services that these poor people who needed help were just turned out onto the streets. What a fucking horrible thing dofo is doing

[-] rozodru@piefed.world 11 points 8 hours ago

welcome to the /r/Toronto subreddit. those "oh look another picture of snow and the sun" nimby idiots are all like this. If they had it their way there would be an annual purge of the homeless, mentally ill, and addicts in the city.

They complained about the parks, they complained about safe injection sites, they made up fantastical stories of each, and now they complain that all the people now congregate around Union Station or whatever random TTC station/subway/bus/streetcar.

It was so amusing when we had encampments in parks. They would ALL complain about one particular park near Spadina and Front about how none of them could use the park anymore and I said "I'm in my 40s, I've lived in this area for 20+ years, none of you used the park when encampments didn't exist". Guess what? that park is clear now annnnnnd no one uses it. I walk by there every day.

It's the same deal with the safe consumption sites. they all complained about them how people were getting mugged outside them, people stealing shit, blah blah blah and none of those things happened. Your average addict is too high, too strung out, can barely walk or stand up straight to mug anyone. And if they did you could literally just slightly push them over and move on. the majority of the time they all walk around with back problems or are folded over themselves to do anything. The people complaining just constantly make up stories of stuff that doesn't happen to paint these people who need help as villains.

[-] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works 8 points 9 hours ago

I don't understand why recent news is always referencing provincial gov't actions as coming from the government of Ontario ... when it fact it's ALL coming from the office of Druggie Fraud.

That asshole only seems to enjoy taking responsibility for the fun news and not the stuff that actually affects Ontarians.