The number of needles being thrown onto streets in Rideau-Vanier Ward is growing.

New data obtained from Ottawa Public Health shows 4,319 needles were "improperly disposed" in Ward 12 compared to 5,958 from January 1st to July 30th, 2017. Those needles were found and picked up by needle hunters and or city staff. 

Councillor Mathieu Fleury said the data represents a "shift" in drug use towards Lowertown and the ByWard Market areas. 

"I also think that there are a lot of folks because of all the attention to the supervised injection sites and OPO in the park that have come and started using in the area, that has for sure increased the stats," Fleury said. 

Area residents said they have noticed more people doing drug deals during daylight and also more drug users hitting the streets when they are visibly impaired. They believe the influx of supervised injection sites and needle disposal vending machines have brought more drug users and dealers to the area. 

Pierre St- Jean has lived on Clarence since 1990 and said this is the worst its been in at least a decade. He said the last few months have made the market area feel like a hot spot for drugs and crime. 

"I agree that we have to do something about the opioid crisis, but hard reduction for one person doesn't have to be harm promotion for another and that's what is happening in the neighbourhood," said St-Jean. 

There are two supervised injection sites currently open in the area: one at Ottawa Public Health's 179 Clarence Street location; one unsanctioned site at Raphael Brunet Park and another set to open at the Sandy Hill Community Health Centre as well as the Shepherds of Good Hope. 

"We need Ottawa Police to go back to more of a neighbourhood, more of a proactive foot presence in an area that has so much need, especially currently with the shift in drugs and the types of drugs being used," Fleury said. "It can't just be needle hunters or the community; Ottawa police need to do better work." 

Ottawa Public Health said it is aware of the increase in needles being recovered in the Lowertown area and said it has a number of programs available to help keep the streets clean. The city has 78 needle disposal boxes available, a 3-1-1 service alerting city staff to unsafe needles on the street, as well as a syringe exchange program at 179 Clarence and a team of dedicated needle hunters who walk the street looking for dirty needles. 

"Anecdotally, what we are hearing from our partners is that there are people in the community hearing and seeing them and picking them up or using the drop boxes," said Mike Ferguson, the manager of OPH's Health Hazard Response Unit. 

More than 52,000 dirty needles were retrieved in Lowertown alone during the months of August and September, representing a 20 per cent increase over 2016. Those needles were dropped off at needle disposal boxes or picked up by staff or the needle hunters.

So far, a grand total of 964,466 needles have been retrieved as of September 30, 2017.