Sudbury safe consumption site to open next month

In efforts to deal with the toxic drug supply, opioid crisis and increasing numbers of overdoses, a safe drug consumption site is set to open in Sudbury in the next four to six weeks.

It recently received federal approval and is now waiting on the province in order to operate at full capacity.

"Really, the purpose of a safe consumption site is a safe, empathetic, non-discriminatory area where people can come and use pre-obtained drugs," said Neil Stephen, the manager of consumption and treatment services at Réseau Access Network.

"So it's drugs that they have already purchased on their own and are just coming here to use in a safe environment under the supervision of medical professionals."

Right now, the agency said it's trying to hire staff during a health care staffing crisis. It's also awaiting provincial funding to expand operations to offer treatment services too.

"We are also waiting for, now that the election is done, for the new caucus to get sworn in, our provincial application to be reviewed and to officially receive that provincial funding and approval to operate as a consumption and treatment services site rather than a safe consumption site," said Stephen.

Sudbury's new supervised drug consumption site on Energy Court downtown. June 3/22 (Alana Everson/CTV Northern Ontario)

The facility backs onto vacant property where encampments have been set up in the past. 

By an 11-2 vote Tuesday evening, city council in Greater Sudbury approved the downtown Energy Court location to set up a temporary safe injection site. (Lyndsay Aelick/CTV News)

The city said it's aware of about 27 people living outdoors in Sudbury right now.

"That's across 15 different locations. So they are not large encampments. We are seeing one or two people at each different location," said Gail Spencer, the coordinator of shelters and homelessness for the City of Greater Sudbury.

"Again, very transitional, bylaw will show up, outreach and supports will show up. We try to encourage people to access our shelter services so that they can really get connected to the supports or get housed or move along to home communities if that's what they need to do."

Réseau Access Networks said under Health Canada conditions it is responsible for a 15-meter perimeter around the building. This includes maintaining the cleanliness of the site and discouraging loitering.