Premier Doug Ford is defending the decision to close safe injection sites that are close to schools and childcare centres.
The decision impacts Park 525 in Thunder Bay, the only site in northwestern Ontario.
Ford says the move was sparked by public concern.
“I’ve listened to the people in the neighbourhoods. I’ve consulted with them. I’ve been getting endless phone calls about needles being in the parks, needles being by the schools and by the daycare. That’s unacceptable,” says Ford.
Ford sees the move to new recovery and treatment sites offering a better program to get people off drugs.
The sites will include primary care, mental health services, addiction care and support, social services, employment support, shelter and transition beds, supportive housing and others.
Nineteen are to be located across the province.
Operators of the safe injection sites will be offered the option of transitioning into the new centres.
The provincial government is also proposing to prohibit the development of new safe injection sites and restrict any existing ones from taking part in the federal safe-supply initiative.
Ford says addicts need support, not more drugs.
“They get to go up there and get endless, endless amounts of drugs. And guess what they do? They go out, and they sell it and get other people addicted,” says Ford.
“As far as I’m concerned, the federal government is the biggest drug dealer in the entire country. It’s unacceptable. It needs to stop.”
He also dismisses claims the closure of the safe injection sites will push drug use into public places like parks.
He calls it typical scare tactics.
“It has not worked. Simple. Ever since they’ve been up. It’s a failed policy. Simple as that. We’re making a better policy.”
