Safe-injection sites should open in Toronto, top health official to recommend

The city's medical officer of health will table a report on Monday calling on the city councilto set up safe-injection sites to combat the growing number of drug overdose deaths in Toronto.

• Report suggests Toronto test out safe injection sites
• Safe-injection sites make financial sense, study says
• Harm reduction more effective than war on drugs in B.C.

If the city moves forward withDr. David McKeown's recommendations announced Saturday in a statement from Toronto Public Health Toronto could become the second city in Canada to approve clinics where intravenous drug use is supervised byhealth-care officials.

"That's good news for the health and safety of not only the people who use drugs, but the communities where drugs are found," Coun. Joe Cressy, who chairs the city's drug strategy panel, told CBC News.

"It's going to ensure public safetyby making sure that wedon't have needles in our streets and our parks and our coffee shops," the councillorsaid.

CressyandMcKeownare to hold a joint news conference about the issueon Monday.

TheInSite facility inVancouver's Downtown Eastside became the first safe-injection site inCanada when it opened in 2013.Montreal Mayor Denise Coderrehas longbeen pushing to establish similar sitesin his city.

Feasibilitystudies about the possibility of opening safe-injection sites are also underway in Thunder Bayand London, Ont.

'We need these services yesterday'

The number of overdose deaths in Toronto has risen 41 per cent between 2004 and 2013, peaking at 206 in '13, according the most recent numbers available fromToronto Public Health.

Research from Vancouverand elsewhere shows such sites are effective in preventing drug overdoses and reducing the risk of disease transmission, Toronto health officials have argued.

"Right now, overdose is a critical issue facing our city and, in fact, should be the top public health priority of our city," Cressy said.

The city already has other harm-reduction strategies in place, including needleexchanges aimed at reducing the spread of HIV and other diseases spread byintravenous drug use.

Toronto police have not commented on the proposal, but Chief Mark Saunders has previously stated safe-injection sites can be harmful to neighbourhoods.

John Tory's office said the mayorwill not comment on the issue until the report is tabled.

If the proposal is adopted by city council, there will still be more red tape to cut though. Underfederal law, safe-injection sitesmust apply toHealth Canada for exemptions from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

Cressy hopes the city will be able to move forward as quickly as possible.

"People are dying in our streets today," he said. "We need these services yesterday."