Another harm-reduction program ends in Sudbury
A number of harm-reduction services and programs have, for one reason or another, closed in Sudbury recently.
The Sudbury Action Centre for Youth declared insolvency. At the end of March, the supervised consumption site closed. And now, a peer-run harm-reduction program run by the Reseau Access Network ended when funding ran out.
Four peer engagement workers at Reseau Access hung up their backpacks at the end of March when federal funding for Reseau’s wellness navigation program ended.
“Working in harm reduction, having that lived and living experience, is crucial because it allows us to connect with the community in ways that a lot of people say who have never used substances can’t,” said Kaela Pelland, former director of peer engagement at Reseau Access Network.
“All of the staff that were impacted by this loss are people with lived and living experience.”
The program started in 2022.
Kaela Pelland, former director of peer engagement at Reseau Access Network, say the program was making a difference because people could speak with those with similar experiences. (Alana Everson/CTV News)
“People live on the margins and how do you reach them unless you have folks that they can relate to offer their own experiences (and) create that sense of safety?” asked Heidi Eisenhauer, Reseau’s executive director.
Officials said a big part of the program was the distribution of drug testing kits, especially considering the toxic supply.
Free harm-reduction tools and first-aid instruction to help people recognize and respond to overdoses were also part of the program.
“To be able to create a safer place so that folks can share their experiences and that’s how shame is, that’s how we squash shame and that’s how we squash stigma,” said Pelland.
Pelland said the recent loss of three harm reduction and support services in Sudbury for people who use drugs is hitting hard.
o Download our app to get local alerts on your device
o Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
“Seeing all these services that were there to support you, like, as a person that uses drugs, and then have them all just be gone within two weeks, that causes like a moral injury for people,” said Pelland.
Pelland said in light of the recent harm-reduction service losses in the city, many people who use drugs feel they have been left to languish on their own.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Signs of Alzheimer’s were everywhere. Then his brain improved
Blood biomarkers of telltale signs of early Alzheimer’s disease in the brain of his patient, 55-year-old entrepreneur Simon Nicholls, had all but disappeared in a mere 14 months.
Box tree moths have infested Ontario and experts say more are coming. Here's what to do to protect your garden
An invasive moth species is on the rise in Canada and, if you've planted a certain shrub, it could stand to ruin your garden.
Lyon-bound Air Canada Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner from Montreal turns back midflight due to pressurization alert
Passengers heading from Montreal to Lyon, France on Friday were forced to return home and depart the next day after a pressurization indication was detected in flight.
Oilers dominate Canucks, win to force deciding Game 7
The Edmonton Oilers avoided elimination from the NHL playoffs Saturday night, beating the visiting Vancouver Canucks 5-1 in Game 6 of their second-round series.
The eight most expensive homes for sale in Ottawa this spring
Ottawa's ultra luxury housing market is blooming like the tulips this spring, with a significant increase in the number of homes sold worth more than $2 million.
B.C. pipeline company argues its 'haulers' are not trucks, for tax purposes
A contractor working on the Coastal GasLink pipeline has been denied more than $333,000 worth of tax rebates because pieces of machinery it purchased – and claimed were not trucks – were deemed sufficiently truck-like in B.C. Supreme Court.
$500K-worth of elvers seized at Toronto airport
Fishery and border service officers seized more than 100 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
Usyk beats Fury by split decision, becomes undisputed heavyweight champion
Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury by split decision to become the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in 24 years.
To plant or not to plant? Gardening tips for May long weekend
May long weekend is finally here, and with the extra time off you may be getting the itch to head out to your garden and plant. However, the old debate whether you should plant now, or wait, is still ever-present.