Lowertown's new supervised injection site sees 'overwhelming' demand

Organizers at Ottawa's new supervised injection trailer are overwhelmed with the sheer volume of people coming to the site each day,and they expect those numbers will increase during the winter.

The trailer, which isrun by Ottawa Inner City Health, officially opened its doors on Nov. 7.On an average day thetrailer sees 122 people, but on the busiest day those numbers climbed to139 people.

"It's hectic, it's non-stop," said LouiseBeaudoin, the trailer's nurse co-ordinator for the trailer.

"We're always overwhelmed, but that's the nature of the beast."

Wendy Muckle, the executive director forOttawa Inner CityHealth, said they didn't expect so many people to usethe services.

"I think we really underestimated the number of people who had converted to injecting drugs in this neighbourhood," said Muckle.

"I think the reality is nobody really knows howmany people inOttawaare injecting drugs. So it's abit of a surprise in terms of finding out how many are in this community."

The trailer is thenewest legal supervised injection site in the city, and opened just around the corner from the unsanctioned supervised injection site inRaphael Brunet Park, which has since closed down.

Muckle said many of the clients that usedthe unsanctioned injection site have since started using the trailer.

• Health Canada approves supervised injection trailer at Ottawa shelter

Ottawa Inner City Health officially opened the trailer, located in a parking lot of the Shepherds of Good Hope,after passing aHealth Canada inspection.

The Lowertown trailer is theonly injection site in the cityopen 24 hours a day, sevendays aweek. It isequipped with eightcurtained stalls,clean needles and naloxonekits.

Decrease in overdoses

Since the trailer opened, Muckle saidshe has seen a decrease in the number of overdoses that require naloxoneto be administered.

We've certainly seen a big impact since the trailer opened,- Wendy Muckle, executive director for Ottawa Inner City Health

In the 24 hours before the trailer opened, there were10 overdosesat the Shepherds of Good Hope that required naloxone, she added.

Muckle said she isn't"seeing people hanging around outside on the sidewalk injecting themselves like they were before".

"We've certainly seen a big impact since the trailer opened," said Muckle. "People are often monitored for half an hourin the trailerto make sure they don't overdose."

'We expect anincrease in the colder months'

As the colder weather approaches, organizers think they will see more people coming to the trailer. Muckle said they already have to ask people to wait in line.

"We will have to move people through much faster, which is unfortunate, but we will have to do this to accommodate everybody," she said, adding she is concerned a longer wait in the winter months means people might start injecting in the street again.

Ottawa Inner City Health has partnered withOttawa Public Health to alleviate some of the pressure, though. When the trailer is at capacity,clients are sent to the city-run supervised injection site on Clarence Street, which is open from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m.

Muckle saidthey will also let people wait inside the Shepherds of Good Hope shelter when the weather gets colder.