Community rallies behind Kensington Market drug consumption site

Community members and staff from a supervised consumption site in Kensington Market rallied Friday against a provincial ban set to close it by next spring but some locals say the site has made them feel unsafe.

Kensington Market Overdose Prevention Site (KMOPS) is among five consumption sites in Toronto that will close after the province announced a ban last month on such facilities within 200 metres of schools and child-care centres.

KMOPS, which is self-funded, opened in 2019, according to its website.

"This consumption site keeps the community safer," said Jessica Bell, MPP for UniversityRosedale, who attended the rally. "It reduces the number of people who are dying in our neighbourhood."

Overdose prevention sites are designated spaces where people can use illicit drugs under the safety and support of trained personnel.

The provincial ban was slammed by some harm-reduction experts, who said it could result in more drug overdose deaths.

This year alone, KMOPS has reversed overdoses for 50 people, said Bill Sinclair, CEO of The Neighbourhood Group Community Services, which houses the site.

"We worry that when we're not here, what happens to those 50 people? Where will they go and will they survive?" he said.

In total, 10 sites in Ontario will close by March 31, 2025. The government is instead spending $378 million on 19 new Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hubs.

Butfront-line workers say supervised consumption services are also needed to keep people alive while using.

'These are all our neighbours'

Local resident Robyn Armstrong, who attended Friday's rally, said KMOPS is extremely important for the community. She said the site doesn't make her concerned for her son's safety.

"Everybody that lives and works in this area, we all support each other," she said.

Rebecca Osolen, who is also a parent, said she welcomes the site as important healthcare.

"Safe sites reduce public drug use and save the lives of vulnerable people," she said.

For Megan McCrossan, the consumption site plays a crucial role in keeping her child safe by helping prevent needles from being discarded on the street.

She said she feels safe walking through the area at all times of the day.

"These are all our neighbours," McCrossan said. "We should be focused on helping the most vulnerable, not kicking them down."

Somesay site has brought safety concerns

But some community members said the site has brought safety concerns.

Tessa Pimlott, who lives and works in the neighbourhood, said she has a lot of sympathy for those who access the site, but she feels scared and unsafe going out alone.

"Every single day, I'll take my dogs out in the morning and I have to make sure there's no one sitting in my doorway shooting up or smoking crack," she said.

She said other people have entered her backyard and use drugs there.

"It's really scary, and I never thought Toronto would be like that to live in," she said.

Pimlott said people don't want to come to the tattoo shop she works at because they are concerned about being harassed near the site.

"The difference in patronage from here and two blocks away is noticeable," she said.

She said she has seen drug dealers are around the area every day, taking advantage of people who use the site.

"I want to see them get better but this doesn't seem to be working," Pimlott said.

Joanne Shepherd, who manages a bar in the area, said she has befriended some people who regularly visit the consumption site.

But she says others harass customers at the bar and block traffic.

"Sometimes, it's hard," she said. "Some people can't even work here because you see people overdosing across the street."

Shepherd said the site should stay openas people using drugs won't leave the area even if it closes.

"They're still going to be here. They might as well have services, food and a place to shower," she said.

WATCH | Health-care experts concerned about consumption site closures:

People are going to die': Health-care experts concerned about consumption site closures

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Reaction to the Ford government decision to shut down 10 supervised drug consumption sites in Ontario continues to pour in. Health-care professionals and faith leaders are calling the move political, and saying it's not rooted in the best health outcomes of vulnerable people. CBCs Dale Manucdoc has more.

Jennifer Galusha, who has accessed KMOPS before, also said people will continue using drugs in the area, regardless of whether the site shutters.

She said KMOPS treated her when she overdosed.

"I'm really grateful for them and they did save me," she said.

Beryl Tsang, who has lived in Kensington Market for five years, said she is concerned drug use may spread to business washrooms and the local public library after the site is closed.

She said while the site offers a "good service, it's not ideal," as the neighbourhood needs more housing and community support.

But Tsang says she is in favour of the consumption site as a public health measure.

"My feeling as a resident is if we didn't have a supervised consumption site, this would all be a consumption site," she said.