{"id":25643,"date":"2026-03-30T10:45:11","date_gmt":"2026-03-30T14:45:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/?post_type=publication22&p=25643"},"modified":"2026-04-21T15:54:50","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T19:54:50","slug":"open-letter-re-defunding-of-all-supervised-consumption-sites-in-ontario","status":"publish","type":"publication22","link":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/open-letter-re-defunding-of-all-supervised-consumption-sites-in-ontario\/","title":{"rendered":"Open Letter re: Defunding of all supervised consumption sites in Ontario"},"content":{"rendered":"March 31st 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Honourable Doug Ford, MPP<\/strong>
\nPremier, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
\nVia email: premier@ontario.ca | doug.fordco@pc.ola.org<\/p>\n

The Honourable Sylvia Jones, MPP<\/strong>
\nDeputy Premier, Minister of Health
\nVia email: sylvia.jones@ontario.ca | sylvia.jones@pc.ola.org<\/p>\n

The Honourable Vijay Thanigasalam, MPP<\/strong>
\nAssociate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions
\nVia email: vijay.thanigasalam@ontario.ca | vijay.thanigasalam@pc.ola.org<\/p>\n

Dear Premier Ford, Minister Jones, and Associate Minister Thanigasalam,<\/p>\n

RE: Defunding of all supervised consumption sites in Ontario<\/strong><\/p>\n

On behalf of the organizational signatories below, we urge you to reconsider the decision to defund the last eight provincially-funded supervised consumption sites (SCS) in Ontario. The evidence in support of SCS \u2014 provided to you by internal staff and reports as well as recommendations from Ontario\u2019s Chief Medical Officer of Health and the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police, among others \u2014 is unequivocal and validated by decades of research. SCS prevent deaths, injuries, and other negative health impacts disproportionately borne by Ontarians who use drugs; reduce the burden on overtaxed first responders, hospital personnel and social service staff; and reduce both public drug consumption and drug debris.<\/p>\n

The eight sites facing June 2026 closure have served 120,997 unique people and reversed 15,402 overdoses while maintaining or improving community safety and providing numerous wraparound services including primary health care. These sites directly provide and\/or connect people with addiction and mental health treatment opportunities and have reduced Ontario\u2019s tax burden by millions of dollars annually through the prevention of HIV and hepatitis C transmission. Ontario-wide data following the 2025 SCS closures demonstrate a sharp increase in EMS (+69.5%) and emergency department use (+ 67%) for opioid-related overdoses, as well as an increase of deaths in private residences and outdoor settings.<\/p>\n

SCS are an essential part of the ecosystem of community care that includes a wide variety of treatment and supports highly valued by local communities \u2014 and not available anywhere else. While HART Hubs offer some supports, they cannot replace SCS and the low-barrier, emergency care they offer when people experience a life-threatening overdose. The intentional exclusion of SCS at HART Hubs as well as the prohibition on needle and syringe distribution creates needless barriers to people accessing broader healthcare and social services. The choice to cut these services represents not only the loss of desperately needed emergency care, but also the fracturing of relationships nurtured between healthcare providers and people who use drugs \u2014 relationships that are a pathway to other supports. For example, if someone chooses to pursue abstinence, SCS can support them to connect with abstinence-based care.<\/p>\n

Notably, wait times for publicly-funded withdrawal management services, outpatient services, and residential addiction treatment facilities in Ontario can often be several months long, despite recommendations since 2017 for universal, evidence-based, publicly available, voluntary addiction treatment on demand. Further, the pursuit of abstinence is far from a linear process. Following a course of treatment, the immediately increased risk of life-threatening overdose is well-documented. In Ontario, treatment is also provided in the context of an unregulated industry where anyone can offer services. SCS keep people alive until treatment is available or until they can meet their own goals, including but not limited to abstinence.<\/p>\n

Effective law and policy must be grounded in evidence, and shifting funding from SCS elsewhere is not supported by evidence or the public at large. Defunding SCS in Ontario will hurt the most marginalized people in our communities, namely people experiencing homelessness, people living in extreme poverty, and people who consume criminalized drugs. The urgent calls are clear from grieving Ontario residents, people who consume or serve people who consume unregulated drugs, health professionals, community safety experts, and more: SCS are an essential service in need of expansion, not elimination.<\/p>\n

There is a formidable wealth of experience and expertise on issues of substance use in Ontario available to policy makers. We encourage and remain open to dialogue.<\/p>\n

We urge a reversal of the decision to defund SCS.<\/p>\n

Signed,<\/p>\n

Canadian Drug Policy Coalition
\nDrug Strategy Network of Ontario
\nHIV Legal Network
\nANCS S\u00e9n\u00e9gal
\n2-Spirited People of the 1st Nations
\n2039192 Ontario Inc
\nA Womb With A View
\nAboriginal Legal Services
\nAccess Alliance
\nAction Hepatitis Canada
\nAdam Newman MPC
\nAddiction Services Central Ontario
\nAddictions and Mental Health Ontario
\nAdvocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario
\nAfrica Network of People Who Use Drugs (AfricaNPUD)
\nAIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa
\nAIDS Bereavement and Resiliency Program Of Ontario (ABRPO)
\nAIDS Committee Newfoundland & Labrador
\nAIDS Committee of Durham Region
\nAIDS Committee of Ottawa
\nAIDS New Brunswick
\nAIVL
\nakzept e.V. Bundesverband f\u00fcr akzeptierende Drogenarbeit und humane Drogenpolitik
\nAlliance for Healthier Communities
\nAlliance to End Homelessness Ottawa
\nAmnesty International Canada (ES)
\nAnglican Diocese of Toronto
\nAnishnawbe Health Toronto
\nAQPSUD
\nARCH Disability Law Centre
\nArtHouseTO
\nAsian Community AIDS Services
\nAssociation des intervenants en d\u00e9pendance du Qu\u00e9bec
\nAssociation for Humane Drug Policy, Norway
\nAssociation pour la sant\u00e9 publique du Qu\u00e9bec
\nAwen Consulting Services (International Harm Reduction Capacity Building)
\nBC Civil Liberties Association
\nBC-Centre for Excellence in HIV\/AIDS
\nBeing Alive\/People with AIDS Action Coalition
\nBlood Ties Four Directions Centre
\nBOOM Health
\nBras outaouais
\nBreakaway Community Services
\nBronx Movil
\nButterfly- Asian and Migrant Sex Worker Support Network
\nCACTUS Montr\u00e9al
\nCambridge council on aging
\nCanadian Civil Liberties Association
\nCanadian Federation of Mental Health Nurses
\nCanadian Mental Health Association – Sudbury\/Manitoulin
\nCanadian Mental Health Association – Champlain East
\nCanadian Mental Health Association, Ontario
\nCanHepC
\nCare Through Chaos
\nCasey House
\nCASON
\nCATIE
\nCAYR Community Connections
\nCentre for Addiction and Mental Health
\nCentre on Drug Policy Evaluation
\nCentretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation
\nCentretown Community Health Centre
\nChangemark Research + Evaluation
\nChurch of St Stephen-in-the-Fields
\nClinique juridique Grand-Nord Legal Clinic
\nCoderix Medical Clinic
\nCommunity Health Project Los Angeles
\nCommunity-Based Research Centre (CBRC)
\nComprehensive Treatment Clinic
\nComprehensive Treatment Clinic – Community Initiatives
\nCornerstone Housing for Women
\nCranstoun
\nCUPE 3903
\nCUPE 5536
\nCUPE Local 5399
\nCUPE Ontario
\nDAP Health Harm Reduction
\nDavenport 4 Palestine
\nDavenport-Perth Neighbourhood and Community Health Centre
\nDeliberar ORG
\nDIY Community Health Timmins
\nDoctors for Safer Drug Policy
\nDopamine
\nDr Joel Voth Medicine Professional Corporation
\nDrug Injecting Services in Canterbury Trust (NZ)
\nEACH+EVERY: Businesses for Harm Reduction
\nEast Coast Prison Justice Society
\nEast End Community Health Centre
\nElementa
\nElevate NWO
\nElgin-Oxford Legal Clinic
\nElizabeth Fry Society of Northwestern Ontario
\nEurasian Harm Reduction Association (EHRA)
\nEuropean Network of People who Use Drugs CLG
\nEvangel Hall Mission
\nFamilies for Addiction Recovery (FAR)
\nFeast Centre for Indigenous STBBI Research
\nFightBack! KW
\nFlemingdon Health Centre
\nFontbonne Ministries
\nForearms of Change Center to Enable community
\nFred Victor
\nFreddie
\nGay Men’s Sexual Health Alliance
\nGeorge Hull Centre for Children and Families
\nGerstein Crisis Centre
\nGrandmothers Act to Save the Planet (GASP)
\nGuelph & Wellington Poverty Elimination Collaborative
\nGuelph Community Health Centre
\nHarlem United
\nHarm Reduction Australia
\nHarm Reduction Nurses Association \/ L\u2019association des infirmiers et infirmi\u00e8res en r\u00e9duction des m\u00e9faits
\nHealth Equity Alliance of Nova Scotia
\nHealth Providers Against Poverty
\nHealthcare for All Coalition
\nHealthRIGHT 360
\nHepatitis C Elimination Roadmap Ontario
\nHIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario (HALCO)
\nHIV Justice Network
\nHomeless Youth Alliance
\nHOPS – healthy options project Skopje
\nHouse Of Sophrosyne
\nHousing Works, Inc.
\nIAVGO Community Legal Clinic
\nIncome Security Advocacy Centre (ISAC)
\nIndigenous Harm Reduction Network
\nIndonesian Harm Reduction Network
\nInner City Family Health Team
\nInner City Health and Wellness Program, University of Alberta
\ninstituto RIA
\nInterfaith Grand River
\nInternational Network of People who Use Drugs
\nInternational Network on Health, Hepatitis and Substance Use (INHSU)
\nInto the Outside Mind
\nIRIS Estrie
\nJean Tweed Centre
\nJM Drama Alumni
\nJohn Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights
\nKensington Health
\nKensington-Bellwoods Community Legal Services
\nKickstart Medical
\nKootenay Insurrection for Safe Supply
\nLAMP Community Health Centre
\nLangs Farm Village Association (Langs)
\nLegal Assistance of Windsor
\nLembaga Bantuan Hukum Masyarakat
\nMad Studies Hub York University
\nMagpies place volunteer for outreach
\nMainline
\nMaytree
\nM\u00e9decins du Monde Canada – Doctors of the World Canada
\nM\u00e9decins du Monde International Network
\nMETA:PHI
\nMetzineres sccl
\nMindful Nurse Gardener Inc.
\nMoms Stop the Harm
\nMothercraft, Breaking the Cycle
\nMoyo Health and Community Services
\nMozia Women’s Network Society
\nMy Brain My Choice Initiative (Germany)
\nNational Harm Reduction Coalition
\nNational Overdose Response Service
\nNational Right to Housing Network
\nNative Child and Family Services of Toronto
\nNeighbourhood Legal Services
\nNeighbourhood Legal Services (London & Middlesex) Inc.
\nNiagara Region Anti-Racism Association
\nNurse 2 Nurse Peer Support
\nOasis unit\u00e9 mobile d’intervention
\nOCRINT
\nOntario Aboriginal HIV\/AIDS Strategy
\nOntario AIDS Network
\nOrganisation for the Prevention of Intense Suffering (OPIS)
\nOstrowski Medicine Professional Corporation
\nPACT de rue
\nPAN
\nParkdale Activity-Recreation Centre (PARC)
\nParkdale Community Legal Services
\nParkdale Queen West Community Health Centre
\nPASAN (Prisoners with HIV\/AIDS Support Action Network)
\nPATH: Peterborough Action for Tiny Homes
\nPEERS Alliance
\nPenticton and Area Overdose Prevention Society (P+OPS)
\nPeople’s Health Movement-Canada
\nPlanned Parenthood Toronto
\nPositive Living Niagara
\nPozitive Pathways Community Services
\nPREKURSOR Foundation
\nReach Out Chatham Kent (ROCK)
\nRECAP
\nRECLAIM Collective
\nRecovery Care
\nRegent Park Community Health Centre
\nRegent Park Community Ministry
\nRegional HIV AIDS Connection
\nRegistered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO)
\nRegistered Nurses’ Association of Ontario, Sudbury & District
\nR\u00e9seau ACCESS Network
\nRespect Rx Pharmacy
\nRetired Executives for Social Equity
\nRideauwood Addiction and Family Services
\nRighting Relations Canada
\nShelter Health Network
\nShelter Housing Justice Network
\nSkana Family Learning Centre
\nSkoun, Lebanese Addictions Center
\nSLO Bangers Syrunge Exchange and Overdose Prevention Program
\nSocial Development Centre Waterloo Region
\nSocial Planning Toronto
\nSouth African Network of People who Use Drugs
\nSouth Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario
\nSouth Riverdale CHC
\nSt Felix Centre
\nSt. Michael’s Homes
\nStreet Cats YYC
\nStreet Haven
\nStreet Nurses Network
\nSubstance Overdose Prevention and Education Network (SOPEN)
\nSubstance Use Health Network
\nSudbury Temporary Overdose Prevention Society
\nSunset Country Family Health Team
\nThe Ally Centre of Cape Breton
\nThe Centre for Psychology and Emotion Regulation
\nThe Gilbert Centre for Social and Support Services
\nThe Neighbourhood Group Community Services
\nThe Ottawa Mission
\nThe Peterson Foundation
\nThe Seeking Help Project
\nThe Sidewalk Project
\nThrive HIV Prevention and Support
\nToronto Board of Health
\nToronto Harm Reduction Alliance (THRA)
\nToronto Indigenous Harm Reduction
\nToronto Overdose Prevention Society
\nToronto’s Drug Checking Service and Ontario’s Drug Checking Community
\nTracking(IN)Justice Project
\nUnison Health and Community Services
\nUp North Harm Reduction
\nVibrant Community Health
\nVIRCAN Care & Research Inc.
\nWashington Office on Latin America
\nWaterloo Region Community Legal Services
\nWaterloo Region Drug Action Team
\nWelcome Centre Shelter for Women & Families
\nWellington Guelph Drug Strategy
\nWest Neighbourhood House
\nWomen and HIV \/ AIDS Initiative
\nWoodGreen Community Services
\nWorkers for Ethical Substance Use Policy
\nYouth RISE
\nYWCA Toronto","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"publication_topics":[147],"publication_type":[170,180],"publication_language":[184],"class_list":["post-25643","publication22","type-publication22","status-publish","hentry","publication_topics-drug-policy","publication_type-advocacy","publication_type-open-letter","publication_language-english"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publication22\/25643","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publication22"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/publication22"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publication22\/25643\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25665,"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publication22\/25643\/revisions\/25665"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25643"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"publication_topics","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publication_topics?post=25643"},{"taxonomy":"publication_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publication_type?post=25643"},{"taxonomy":"publication_language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publication_language?post=25643"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}