Board of health votes in favour of safe injection sites in Toronto | Harm Reduction Articles
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Overview
Originally Published: 07/04/2016
Post Date: 08/04/2016
Summary/Abstract
The City of Toronto Board of Health voted unanimously to approve safe injection sites in three separate locations.
Content
Board of health votes in favour of safe injection sites in Toronto
After hearing from a long line of passionate deputants at City Hall, theboard of health unanimously voted Monday in favour of safe injection sites in Toronto.
The issue now heads to city council where it will be debated next week.
“It will not save every life due to accidental overdose. But [the sites] are part of a comprehensive strategy intended to support those who use drugs. Treatment, prevention, harm reduction and enforcement taken together are part of a broader solution,” Coun. Joe Cressy, who chairs the city’s drug strategy implementation panel, said at the board of health meeting.
The sites allow people to take illicitly-obtained drugs while supervised by nurses, in order to prevent overdoses.
In March, the city’s medical officer of health, Dr. David McKeown, released a report recommending city council support the approval of three sites.
If approved by council, the sites would be the Toronto Public Health building on Victoria Street near Yonge-Dundas Square, at the Queen West-Central Toronto Community Health Centre and South Riverdale Community Health Centre.
At the packed meeting on Monday, community activists and members of the public made emotional pleas to the board of health to have safe injection sites in the city.
Tragically, the meeting came just days after the death of 22-year-old Brooklyn McNeil, an advocate for safe injection sites in the city. McNeill overdosed and passed away on June 22.
McNeil’s name was brought up several times at the meeting. Deputants spoke about how she could have been saved if there had been a safe injection site in the city.
A video of her was also played at the meeting, showing her speaking at the board of health meeting back in March.
“All accidental overdoses I believe should be prevented or can be prevented by safe injection sites,” she said at the time.
Tracking Status |
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HL13.2 |
ACTION |
Adopted |
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Ward:All |
Implementing Supervised Injection Services in Toronto |
City Council Decision |
City Council on July 12, 13, 14 and 15, 2016, adopted the following:
1. City Council request the City Manager to provide the letter required by clause 56.1(3)(c) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act indicating that Council supports the implementation of small scale supervised injection services at Toronto Public Health (The Works), Queen West-Central Toronto Community Health Centre and South Riverdale Community Health Centre. |
Background Information (Board) |
(June 16, 2016) Report and Appendices A-G from the Medical Officer of Health on Implementing Supervised Injection Services in Toronto (http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-94548.pdf) (July 4, 2016) Presentation from the Medical Officer of Health on Implementation of Supervised Injection Services in Toronto (http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-94790.pdf) |
Communications (Board) |
(June 23, 2016) Letter from Mohamed Lachemi, President and Vice-Chancellor, Ryerson University (HL.Main.HL13.2.1) (http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/hl/comm/communicationfile-61709.pdf) (June 26, 2016) E-mail from Roxana Ciobanu (HL.New.HL13.2.2) (March 21, 2016) Letter from Donna May, Founding member and Facilitator, mumsDU-moms united and mandated to saving the lives of Drug Users (HL.New.HL13.2.3) (http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/hl/comm/communicationfile-61811.pdf) (June 27, 2016) Letter from Paul Seaman, Chair, Board of Directors, Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area (DYBIA) (HL.New.HL13.2.4) (http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/hl/comm/communicationfile-61814.pdf) (June 15, 2016) Letter from Dr. Jeff Powis, Medical Director of Research and Infectious Diseases Consultant, Toronto Community Hepatitis C Program and Director, Antimicrobial Stewardship Program, Michael Garron Hospital, Toronto East Health Network (HL.New.HL13.2.5) (http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/hl/comm/communicationfile-61820.pdf) (May 27, 2016) Letter from Sarah Downey, President and Chief Executive Officer, Michael Garron Hospital (HL.New.HL13.2.6) (http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/hl/comm/communicationfile-61841.pdf) (June 29, 2016) Letter from Kapri Rabin, Executive Director, Street Health (HL.New.HL13.2.7) (http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/hl/comm/communicationfile-61862.pdf) (June 30, 2016) Letter from Sheila Braidek, Executive Director, Regent Park Community Health Centre (HL.New.HL13.2.8) (http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/hl/comm/communicationfile-61863.pdf) (June 30, 2016) Letter from Axelle Janczur, Executive Director, Access Alliance Multicultural Health and Community Services (HL.New.HL13.2.9) (http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/hl/comm/communicationfile-61868.pdf) (June 29, 2016) Letter from Dr. Samantha Green, Chair, Health Providers Against Poverty, Family Physician, St. Michael's Hospital, Lecturer, University of Toronto (HL.New.HL13.2.10) (http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/hl/comm/communicationfile-61844.pdf) (July 3, 2016) Letter from Lanadee Lampman, Parish Nurse, The Cathedral Church of St. James, Diocese of Toronto - Anglican Church of Canada (HL.New.HL13.2.11) (http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/hl/comm/communicationfile-61845.pdf) (June 30, 2016) Letter from Shamez Amlani, Chair, and Spencer Sutherland, Executive Director, Queen Street West Business Improvement Area (HL.New.HL13.2.12) (http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/hl/comm/communicationfile-61846.pdf) (July 4, 2016) Letter from Maureen Fair, Executive Director, West Neighbourhood House (HL.New.HL13.2.13) (http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/hl/comm/communicationfile-61847.pdf) (July 4, 2016) Letter from Queen West Residents for Safe & Caring Communities (HL.New.HL13.2.14) (http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/hl/comm/communicationfile-61849.pdf) |
Communications (City Council) |
(June 30, 2016) Letter from Michael Demian, Metro Drugs (CC.Main.HL13.2.15) (http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/cc/comm/communicationfile-61888.pdf) (July 5, 2016) E-mail from Eileen Bagley (CC.Supp.HL13.2.16) (July 11, 2016) Submission from Lily Lina Lin (CC.New.HL13.2.17) (July 11, 2016) E-mail from Lily Lina Lin (CC.New.HL13.2.18) (July 10, 2016) Submission from Queen West Residents for Safe and Caring Communities (CC.New.HL13.2.19) (http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/cc/comm/communicationfile-62072.pdf) (June 24, 2016) Letter from Mark Saunders, Chief of Police, Toronto Police Service (CC.New.HL13.2.20) (http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/cc/comm/communicationfile-62083.pdf) (July 12, 2016) Petition from Lily Lin, on a supervised injection site at Queen West Central Toronto Community Health Centre (CC.New.HL13.2.21) (July 13, 2016) Letter from Chantel Marshall, Program Director, Urban Health Programs/Nursing Practice Lead, Sherbourne Health Centre (CC.New.HL13.2.22) (http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/cc/comm/communicationfile-62102.pdf) (July 12, 2016) Petition from Councillor Joe Cressy, Ward 20, Trinity-Spadina, regarding supervised injection services, containing the names of approximately 3,154 persons filed during the Routine Matters portion of the meeting (CC.New) |
Motions (City Council) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1 - Motion to Amend Item moved by Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti (Lost) That City Council amend the Board of Health Recommendation by deleting the words "Toronto Public Health (The Works), Queen West-Central Toronto Community Health Centre and South Riverdale Community Health Centre" and inserting the words "hospitals, pharmacies and/or medical clinics", so that it now reads as follows:
1. City Council request the City Manager to provide the letter required by clause 56.1(3)(c) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act indicating that Council supports the implementation of small scale supervised injection services at hospitals, pharmacies and/or medical clinics .
That in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 27, Council Procedures, City Council reconsider the vote on motion 1 by Councillor Mammoliti.
Councillor Mammoliti, rising on a Point of Order, stated that he would like to ask questions of staff and asked why Members went directly to speaking to the Item.
Councillor Mammoliti, rising on a Point of Order, stated that he would like to ask questions of staff. |
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Rulings (City Council) | ||||||||||||
Ruling by Speaker Frances Nunziata Speaker Nunziata, accepted the Point of Order and ruled that Council would have to consent to questions of staff on this Item and put the proposal to a vote.
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