Hamilton injection site approved by government, will receive funding

Hamilton's supervised injection site has government approval and will receivefunding, along with 14 other sites across Ontario with the "greatest need."

The official approval was announced in a media release Friday. The provincial government promised the 15 "consumption and treatment services" sites will help those battling addiction "connect with full wrap-round supports" for treatment and rehabilitation.

"It's good news," saidDeniseBrooks, executivedirector at the Hamilton Urban Core Community Health Centre.The centre operates theonlyplace in Hamilton where drug users can inject under professional supervision.

"Without this service, there is no other service in Hamilton. It means people very well could have been at great risk of harm to themselves and possibly even death if this wasn't going forward."

When it opened in June, Brooks said, the site saw about 100 people a month, but has since swelledto well over 400.

So far, 60 overdoses have been reversed there and Naloxone has been administered27 times.

"Now we can settle in to providing this service knowing it's funded and it's more permanent," she explained.

Government takes opioid epidemic'seriously'

The announcement came after months of uncertainty as the newly elected government conducted a review of sites across the province to determine if the sites had "merit" and wre worth continuing.

In the release announcing the approval, Health Minister Christine Elliott said the government takes Ontario's opioid crisis "very seriously" and that the sites will save lives.

"That's why we've created a new consumption and treatment services model that will continue to save lives by preventing overdoses and connecting people to primary care, treatment, rehabilitation, and other health and social services to ensure those struggling with drug addiction get the help they need," it reads.

The government also stated it evaluated sites based on a list of criteria. That includedcommunity support and engagement, all-around health and social services and proximity to child care centres, parks and schools.

Six of the sites were approved for Toronto, three in Ottawa with one apiece in London, Guelph, Kingston, Thunder Bay, Hamiltonand St. Catharines.

Just the start

The opioid crisis has been felt acutely in Hamilton where 450 people called 911 about suspected overdoses in 2018.

Hamilton's public health unit says paramedics in the city have responded to 56 suspected overdoses so far this month.

Government funding means Hamilton's site will stay open longer andhire dedicated staff who can connect with clients and offer then housing support, food and healthcare, according to Brooks.

"With this, we'll be able to expand so our hours will be going from 10 in the morning to 11 at night."

But, while 15 sites is a good start, Brooks said it's "absolutely not" enough to serve Ontario.

She believes a single site for Hamilton also won't meet the city's needs.

"In a city of this size, knowing what the numbers tell us about where Hamilton places provincially in terms of the overdose rate, certainly there needs to be more than one site."