Two of the three consumption booths at the Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS) site located at the Opioid Response Hub at 220 Simcoe Street in downtown Peterborough. With medical assistance available on site, substance users at the CTS are monitored in case they suffer an adverse reaction when using. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawartha NOW) The Ontario government has revealed plans to stop funding for Peterborough’s Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS) site, which has been running for nearly four years. The Peterborough CTS site is one of seven CTS locations that will be closed by the Ontario government in communities now equipped with a Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub funded by the province. – content continues below Situated in the former bus terminal at 220 Simcoe Street in downtown Peterborough, the CTS opened its doors in June 2022 to offer a safe space where individuals can consume pre-obtained drugs under medical supervision. Those who use the CTS receive sterile injection supplies, education on safer consumption practices, drug checking services, basic medical assistance, as well as referrals to addiction treatment services, housing options, and other social support services. The CTS is managed by Four Counties Addictions Services (Fourcast), which also operates Peterborough’s HART Hub, one of 28 approved hubs throughout Ontario. The establishment of HART Hubs was part of a provincial announcement made in August 2024 aimed at creating “safer communities” that banned supervised drug consumption sites within 200 metres of schools and childcare facilities. This led to nine existing provincially funded supervised drug consumption sites being shut down-including four located in Toronto-as well as sites in Guelph, Hamilton, Thunder Bay, Ottawa, and Kitchener-Waterloo. Remaining CTS sites that were beyond this distance continued receiving funding. – content continues below Apart from Peterborough’s site, six other locations losing provincial funding due to Monday’s announcement include two sites each in Toronto and Ottawa along with one each in Niagara and London. The Ontario government has stated it will start a 90-day wind-down period “to give clients time to transition to support provided by their local HART Hub.” – content continues below This past January 2025, the Ontario government announced $6.2 million for Peterborough’s HART Hub so local service delivery partners can provide ongoing support for people facing complex needs during their recovery journey from addictions or homelessness. This includes primary care along with psychiatric care; mental health services such as case management; Rapid Access Addiction Medicine (RAAM); withdrawal management; bed-based addictions treatment; aftercare; peer recovery coaching; supportive housing focusing on both mental health/addictions issues-and dual diagnosis housing featuring round-the-clock community support services alongside occupational therapy and vocational programs. Solely like all other HART Hubs funded by the province, Peterborough’s hub won’t provide safer supply options or supervised drug consumption programs-creating a gap for those struggling with addiction who aren’t undergoing treatment. Advocates for harm reduction along with healthcare professionals have voiced objections regarding this decision from the provincial government concerning shutting down CTS sites stating they help reduce public drug use while saving lives as well as easing pressure on healthcare systems through overdose prevention efforts. Lakelands Public Health-the health unit formed by merging Peterborough Public Health along with Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit-reported that between January 2023 until August 24th alone there were over 15 thousand visits recorded at their Peterborough CTS site successfully managing104 instances involving drug poisonings without any fatalities occurring. A total number reaching896 individuals (including repeat visitors) utilized this facility just within December alone-a quarter representing visits addressing needs outside mere consumption such as seeking substance abuse support/treatment connections or even accessing housing/health resources alongside mental wellness tools offered here too! – content continues below
Statement from Canadian Civil Liberties Association
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) issued a statement expressing strong disapproval towards this action taken by provincial authorities.
“Safe consumption sites are proven harm-reduction measures that support people who use drugsand those livingwith addiction. This decisionwill make it harderfor themto access essential , lifesavinghealthservices. ”
“Communities across Ontarioand Canadaare dealingwith an unprecedentedtoxicdrug crisisalongside increasinghomelessnessandmentalhealthchallenges. Thismoment callsfor expanded, evidence-basedsupports-not lessaccess tomedicalcare.”
“Such misdirectedchoicesendanger vulnerable populations even more leadingtowards loss-of-life consequences whilst disproportionately affecting marginalizedgroups including Indigenouspeoples, racializedcommunities, and thosefacing poverty/homelessness-all encountering systemicobstacles hinderingtheir access topotentialsolutions.”
Statement from HIV Legal Network & ; AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario
The HIVLegal Networkand HIVAIDSLegal Clinic Ontario(HALCO) also sharedtheir sentiments condemningtheprovincialgovernment’sdecision, reiteratingthatconsumptionandtreatmentservicesites serveas communityhubs reducingoverdose riskamongotherswhile backedby extensiveevidence showcasing their efficacy.”
“Despitethis fact, the Governmentof Ontarioconducted systematiceffortsindismantlingthese necessaryresourcessinceits inception.” Theirstatementfurtheremphasizes,”In2018, thisbodyarbitrarilyrestrictedtheamountoffundingavailableforthesiteswithin Ontarioresultinginthedisproportionatefundingcutsobservedaftermoredecisionsfollowed.”
Citingresearchclaimsfromthe HIVLegal Networkand HALCOitwas notedoverdoseratesin Torontoincreasedby50%comparedto January2026postmajor CTSitesclosurein Torontoearlierthat yeardespitewarningsissuedbygovernmentexpertspredictingpossibleoverdoseupsurge lateronward”.
“We knowfor surethatwithoutaccessto lifesavingcareservedatthesesupervisedconsumptionsites moreliveswill be lost. Suchinitiatives enrichourcommunitiestherefore enablingthemsafety aspectsin overallforthe populace. We shall persistinthe fightto keep themoperating henceensuringcontinuedwellbeingforall involved!”
Statement from Lakelands Public Health
A statementfrom Lakelands Public Healthrecognizesthecontributionsmadeby Fourcasthighlightingitsimpactfulworkprovidingsupporttoconsumers seekingassistancewhilestrivingtowardbetteroutcomes through accesspathwaysaswellascompassionateinterventionsprovidedthereafteraddingthatwithoutalternate sources offunding, Petersburg CTSwill inevitablycloseitsdoorsdown.
“Programsaimedatharmreductionstrategiestowardsfacilitatingtreatment pathwaysconstitutewell-roundedapproachesaddressingsubstanceusecontinuouslyinlightofongoingcrisesexemplifyingthreatsposedbydiversetoxicityingredientscurrentlyafflictingdifferentcommunities” reflectedintheirstatementscontent. Continuityofsupportiveprogramsthatcateraroundindividualsusingdrugsremainsimperativeasprotectivefactorleadingtowardcommunitysafety. This collaborativeeffortshall continuealignedwithlocalstrategiesaimingtounderstandimpactsstemmingfromsuchchangeswhileadvancingassistanceoptions availableforthoseaffected therein!The originalversionofthisstoryhasbeenupdatedwithastatementfromthe HIVLegal Networkand HALCOalongside Lakeland Public Health’supdatesregardingcurrentdevelopmentsrelatedthereto.Source link
