Health Minister has no updates on supervised injection site

Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor had no updates Thursday on two proposed supervised injection site in Ottawa.

The city is pushing to open an interim site to deal with rising numbers of opioid overdoses. Mayor Jim Watson has expressed also hope the proposed site could lead to the closure of an unsanctioned pop-up site in a Lowertown Park.

Petitpas Taylor toured the Shepherds of Good Hope facility in Lowerton on Thursday as new numbers came out showing the crisis is getting worse in Canada.

The facility operates treatment and addiction program and has also applied to operate a supervised injection site. Petitpas Taylor could only say that application is under review.

“We received an application and our department officials are certainly working through the process,” she said.

Catherine Hacksel, a worker at the facility and a volunteer with the pop-up injection site questioned the minister on why the process was taking so long.

“Folks here are responding to overdoses in bathrooms and dorms and having to check basically because clients can’t disclose when they’re using,” she said. “I am just wondering exactly what you’re waiting for?”

Petitpas Taylor thanked Hacksel for her work and said officials were dealing with the issue as quickly as possible.

“We’re committed to getting this right and ensuring we get this right for Canadians.”

By Ryan Tumilty
Source: Metro