Former homeless shelter in Timmins eyed by CMHA as permanent safe consumption site
The Canadian Mental Health Association Cochrane-Temiskaming branch is looking to set up a permanent safe consumption site at 21 Cedar St. N, the location of the current temporary site and which once housed the city’s homeless shelter.
The association’s executive director Paul Jalbert said it is well-frequented by the local homeless and drug-addicted population, most recently seeing hundreds visiting Safe Health Site Timmins (SHST). He said it has all the right facilities to host a permanent site, as well as being the required distance away from schools and parks.
He said the site would be part of a larger strategy to not only keep people from dying, but also help them kick their addictions.
“In addition to providing a harm-reduction approach to this challenge, we want it be able to link people to services,” Jalbert said.
“Whether that be in-community addiction and mental health services, residential treatment services or acute care in-patient services.”
With the CMHA offering mental health, addictions, primary care and housing services, Jalbert said it’s a natural organization to run the site.
The key, he said, is being able to transition clients to follow-up treatment and supports.
“We will be able to facilitate that seamlessly,” Jalbert said.
“Because this is a collaborative project, we’re also going to be able to build bridges with community partners that offer different services.”
That means the site would be a central hub that people with addictions issues can turn to, rather than trying to navigate the system on their own. Local health officials have noted that vulnerable people have found it complicated to access the services they need.
Timmins’ new mayor Michelle Boileau said the results seen at SHST so far have been encouraging, which she expects can only be further boosted by a permanent site.
“We’re seeing the referrals to in-patient withdrawal management, referrals to other counselling and support services,” Boileau said.
“So, it is an effective operation and it’s important that it continues.”
The CMHA is planning to present a report to city council later this month and ask that it endorse the proposed location.
Boileau said while data from the SHST has been published since its opening in July, she wants to see a detailed report about its impacts and how making it permanent would impact the community.
She also wants to see comments from both SHST clients and others who would use the permanent site.
“What they would be looking for in a safe consumption site, is what’s most important here,” Boileau said.
The CMHA is holding public consultations on Dec. 14, the day before its presentation to council.
It’s calling on community members and potential clients to offer their thoughts.
“That dialogue will inform the evolution of our service system,” Jalbert said.
This is all in preparation to submit a formal application for the site to Health Canada, since it requires a federal exemption to allow the consumption of illicit drugs without fear of criminal charges.
Whereas the city allocated $1 million from its budget to the SHST, the permanent site would require provincial funding.
The goal is to have the application ready in the new year.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that is banned at Queen’s Park.
CTE: Researchers believe widespread brain injury may contribute to veteran suicide rate
Researchers are working to better understand if some Canadian military veterans may be suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, also known as CTE -- a disorder previously found in the brains of professional football and hockey players after their death.
1 arrested in northern Alberta during public shelter order
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
New deep-water channel allows first ship to pass Key bridge wreckage in Baltimore
The first cargo ship passed through a newly opened deep-water channel in Baltimore on Thursday after being stuck in the harbor since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed four weeks ago, halting most maritime traffic through the city's port.
First in Canada procedure performed at London, Ont. hospital
A London man has become the first person in Canada to receive a robotic assisted surgery on his spine. Dave Myeh suffered from debilitating, chronic back pain that led to sciatica in his right now and extreme pain in his lower back.