Ottawa's two remaining supervised consumption sites are facing imminent closure after Ontario confirmed it will end provincial funding, and community health leaders are sounding the alarm about what comes next.
Sandy Hill Community Health Centre and Ottawa Inner City Health, the organizations behind the city's last two sites, have been given 90 days to wind down their services. The province is pulling approximately $2.9 million in annual funding from Ottawa Inner City Health alone as part of a broader move to shutter seven supervised consumption sites across Ontario.
A Sharp Rise in Public Drug Use Predicted
Health advocates aren't mincing words about what the closures will mean for Ottawa's streets.
"This is going to have a really big impact in terms of public drug consumption increases," said Rob Boyd, CEO of Ottawa Inner City Health. Dean Dewar, director at Sandy Hill Community Health Centre, echoed that concern: "There will be an increase in clients in Centretown as well as additional drug use, open drug use in the City of Ottawa."
Boyd's organization operates Trailer 2.0, which currently serves between 600 and 1,000 drug users every week, providing a supervised, safe space that keeps drug use off sidewalks, parks, and alleyways.
The Province's Plan: HART Hubs
Premier Doug Ford's government is redirecting $550 million toward 28 Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) hubs across Ontario. The province's approach prioritizes abstinence-based recovery over harm reduction.
"I don't believe in sticking these injection sites in the middle of the community," Ford said. "It's like giving an alcoholic a card for the LCBO."
Critics, however, argue that HART hubs cannot adequately replace the on-the-ground support that supervised consumption sites provide, particularly for individuals experiencing homelessness or acute addiction.
Local Leaders Push Back
Ottawa city councillor Stéphanie Plante was unequivocal in her response. "There is no question whatsoever that they are an essential health-care service," she said of the supervised consumption sites.
The closures come at a difficult moment for Ottawa's downtown core, which has been working to balance public safety concerns with compassionate responses to addiction and homelessness.
What Happens Next
With a 90-day clock ticking, Sandy Hill and Ottawa Inner City Health are now faced with the challenge of transitioning hundreds of regular clients to other services, many of which are already stretched thin.
Advocates are urging the province to reconsider, or at minimum to ensure that the HART hubs come online before the supervised consumption sites are forced to close. Without that bridge, they warn, the consequences for Ottawa's most vulnerable residents, and for the communities around them, will be severe.
Ottawa residents and community groups concerned about the closures can contact their city councillor or reach out directly to Ottawa Inner City Health and Sandy Hill Community Health Centre.
Source: CBC Ottawa
