Barrie's bid for safe consumption site in limbo amid provincial review

Ontario paused approval of new supervised consumption and treatment sites (CTS) for a review to be conducted, leaving an application for a site in Barrie in limbo, which local advocates say is detrimental to the region.

"I am really disappointed, just because, you know, we continue to have opioid-related deaths and overdoses," said Dr. Valerie Grdisa, executive director of the Simcoe County Canadian Mental Health Association.

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Advocates have been working with several groups to bring a safe consumption site to 11 Innisfil Street in Barrie.

Grdisa acknowledges that the provincial review was somewhat expected after a 44-year-old mother of two was killed by a stray bullet near a CTS in Toronto following a physical altercation between three men.

Grdisa said even if Barrie eventually receives approval, she anticipates a delay of six to 12 months before the site would be operational.

"I think the difference between the proposal that we put forward for Simcoe County and the Barrie community was that we, being a mental health and addiction agency, could wrap around all of our services and supports for the individuals that we would serve in the consumption and services site," she explained.

The government has asserted that all aspects of the sites are under scrutiny during the review, including the locations.

"The recommendations, as I understand them, are going to be based on establishing how we can improve the relationship between the communities where they're located and the people that are in need of having these places to go to," said Michael Tibollo, the province's associate minister of mental health and addictions.

• RELATED | New supervised consumption sites in Ontario on hold pending review

Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit's Public Health and Preventive Medicine Specialist, Dr. Lisa Simon, said the sites have proven to help prevent deaths and hospital visits related to drug poisonings.

"The health unit continues to be a strong supporter of the current CTS application for Barrie. We believe that a CTS site in Barrie will help save lives and connect people to many vital services in their local community, and we believe that the broader community will benefit," Simon said.

"It requires a shift in your thinking. You have to recognize that this is a public health crisis, and we need to treat it as much," said former Barrie mayor and District of Muskoka Chair Jeff Lehman.

Tim MacNaughtan lives across the street from the proposed site and admitted he is torn on the issue of whether safe injection sites are necessary.

"Depending on how well they are run, they [CTS] can be great, or they can be a problem," he said.

There are several sites with pending applications before the province. The one in Barrie has been waiting for the green light for two years.