Provincial ban gets mixed reaction

Some say premier’s decision will offer relief to communities, while others expect more deaths

- DAVID RIDER, BEN SPURR ANDRAJU MUDHAR

Jeri Brown, who has been organizing against a supervised consumption site in Leslieville, said Tuesday she was pleased it will close. She said she hoped the decision “will come with a full plan in place to actually provide real support” to people with addictions.

The province’s decision to shutter half of Toronto’s supervised drug consumption sites is being met with mixed reaction from residents and city officials, with some predicting the move will provide relief to beleaguered communities near the facilities, and others warning it will only lead to more deaths amid an already devastating opioid crisis.

Health Minister Sylvia Jones announced Tuesday the province will ban supervised injection sites within 200 metres of schools or childcare centres. As a result, five of the 10 facilities operating in Toronto must cease operation by March 31. Five more outside the city will also close.

At a city hall news conference, Toronto Board of Health chair Chris Moise welcomed the province’s commitment as part of the announcement of $378 million for new treatment facilities. But he declared that “closing supervised consumption services will not stop people from using drugs.”

Coun. Moise (Ward 13, Toronto Centre) said “if sites are forced to close, we will see more public drug use in our parks and in our laneways.