Somerset West supervised drug consumption site to close under new Ontario rules

The head of the Somerset West Community Health Centre says she was not consulted before the government revealed it would be closing the centre's supervised drug consumption site.

The site, at 55 Eccles St., is one of the 10 sites the provincial government plans to close under new rules announced Tuesday. It is the only one in Ottawa affected by the government's decision, which also impacts five supervised consumption sites in Toronto and sites in Hamilton, Kitchener, Thunder Bay, and Guelph.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday via Zoom, Somerset West CHC executive director Suzanne Obiorah said this new policy came as a surprise.

"We have not had any opportunity to engage with the provincial government prior to this message," she said. "However, we are gravely concerned that the decision to defund and close consumption and treatment services will have devastating consequences for our community."

Other speakers at the virtual news conference Tuesday added they were not consulted or informed of the decision.

Rob Boyd, CEO of Ottawa Inner City Health, said he was "gutted" by the news and also said he and his organization were not consulted.

"We were not asked our opinions on what needed to happen. We are experts in the field of harm reduction, but also experts in the field of treatment, and we are also experts in the field of community safety and community health," he said.

Sandy Hill Community Health Centre CEO Robin McAndrew said she was "blindsided" by the announcement.

"We first heard about this from the media and not from our government partners," she said.

The community health leaders echoed the risk that closing the Somerset West consumption and treatment site (CTS) would pose.

"We are deeply concerned with the ministry decision that will have significant implications for our services and the people we serve," said Obiorah. "This will disproportionately affect members of our community who experience the greatest vulnerability and marginalization. This decision will not address the root cause of why people find themselves using substances; rather, it will lend itself to people using alone, using unsafely, and putting them at increased risk of harm and death."

Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones, speaking at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference in Ottawa, referenced the Somerset West site in her speech announcing the new measures, claiming there has been a spike in violent crime in the immediate area.

"Residents near Ottawa's sites are concerned about the drug-related crimes in their community," Jones said.

"We need to do more to support a journey into treatment and recovery to keep communities safe and to address the tragic impact of substance use, drug overdoses and opioid-related deaths in our communities."

Ottawa police were unable to immediately provide crime statistics for the area around 55 Eccles St., but the 2023 crime trend report for the entire Somerset Ward showed a 2.1 per cent increase in reported crime, a 6.2 per cent drop in reported violent crime, and a 3.3 per cent increase in non-violent crime ward-wide. Total crimes against persons were down 6.2 per cent, from 921 total offenses in 2022 to 847 in 2023. Controlled Drugs and Substances Act offences rose 19 per cent overall in 2023 compared to 2022, going from 42 offenses in 2022 to 50 in 2023.

The government's new rules prevent any supervised consumption site that is within 200 metres of a school or child care centre must close by March 31, 2025.

Obiorah said she has not been told by the government which organization puts it within the 200-metre zone.

"We are waiting to better understand the reasons why we were chosen to close our services," she said in French.

The Nanny Goat Hill Nursery School on Somerset Street West is, according to Google Maps, approximately 180 metres away by a straight line. Jérôme Lejeune School on Empress Avenue and St. Anthony School on Booth Street, are also nearby but each of those is more than 200 metres away. 

Site can transition to new treatment hub

Jones said the nine publicly funded sites that are being closed will be given the opportunity to transition to the newly announced Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hubs. The government is spending $378 million to establish 19 HART Hubs in the province. These sites will provide mental health services, addiction care and support, social services and employment support, shelter and transition beds, supportive housing, and other supplies and services, including naloxone, onsite showers and food, but will not provide a safer supply of drugs, supervised consumption services, or needle exchange programs.

Obiorah said the province has yet to provide detailed information about HART Hubs, and she's concerned about what will happen during the transition.

"I am extremely worried that we will further marginalize a segment of the population that deserves dignified care that meets them where they are at. I've come to understand the HART model does not allow for harm reduction services. We understand that we can't force people into treatment and that we require a broad range of services and interventions to best support members in our community and we'll be very curious to see how the HART Hubs will offer that spectrum of supports that our community needs and deserves," she said.

The Somerset West Community Health Centre has offered supervised consumption services since 2018.