A former city councillor asks, ‘when you see them all hanging out in front of (the clinic), is it really doing what it’s supposed to do?’
The location of methadone clinics in Barrie has caught the attention of city council.
Mayor Alex Nuttall’s motion on April 29 directly addresses a “zero-tolerance” approach to enforcing drug laws for individuals using illegal substances within Barrie.
The motion states that: ‘There is an appeal to the province to allow for minimum distance separations between pharmacies and methadone clinics, or operations be transferred to health authorities.’
Nuttall recently clarified the intention behind the motion.
“This motion is about ensuring health services are delivered so we do not see unintended clustering of certain services in one area without proper tools to manage impacts on the surrounding community,” he explained.
“The request for separation distances between pharmacies and methadone clinics is about better balance and coordination, not limiting access to treatment, and ensuring services are placed in a way that works for both patients and neighborhoods,” added the mayor. “We have raised this directly with the province.”
Rose Romita, a former Barrie city councillor representing downtown, is shown in a file photo. | Raymond Bowe/Barrie Today
A letter was sent on May 11 to Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones. Nuttall mentioned that the ministry knows about this request and he understands they are reviewing it due to its complexity.
The letter requests the “transfer of methadone clinics and related operations under the oversight of health authorities, to ensure consistent regulation, clinical governance, and alignment with broader health system planning.”
Nuttall also said that both local MPPs – Andrea Khanjin (Barrie-Innisfil) and Doug Downey (Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte) – are aware of resident concerns expressed by council.
Others have shared their views regarding the methadone clinics as well.
Rose Romita, who served as a downtown Barrie councillor from 2014-18, spoke at a public meeting on June 3 – advocating for clarifying and expanding Barrie’s zoning bylaw to prohibit activities like selling illegal drugs in retail zones including downtown – and reiterated her points again last Friday.
“I don’t have a problem with the methadone clinics. I get that it’s required and people need it,” she stated. “But when you see them all hanging out in front of it (the clinic), is it really doing what it’s supposed to do?”
Romita referred specifically to the methadone clinics located near Dunlop Street West and Toronto Street.
No response was received from an official at the health ministry regarding details about how many methadone clinics are operating in Barrie before publication time for this article.
Methadone is a synthetic medication mainly used for chronic pain relief as well as treating opioid use disorder, according to Health Canada. It works by activating similar brain receptors as other opioids but doesn’t cause a “high,” thus preventing withdrawal symptoms while decreasing cravings for drugs.
Methadone is classified as a controlled substance regulated under both the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act along with Narcotic Control Regulations.
Source link
Source link
