Schreiner calls out Ford government’s attack on life-saving harm reduction care

August 20, 2024

OTTAWA — Ontario Greens Leader Mike Schreiner released the following statement in response to news that the Ford government will shut down ten existing supervised consumption and treatment sites and introduce legislation preventing municipalities from setting up any new ones.

“Make no mistake – Ontario will lose more lives because of this government’s attack on harm reduction services.

Closing supervised consumption and treatment sites is not going to decrease drug use because providing care for substance users is not an either-or scenario. Ontario needs supervised consumption and treatment sites and it needs supportive housing and it needs accessible treatment options for people in addictions recovery.

This decision is going to lead to more drug poisonings, more infectious disease spread and more people with one less pathway to judgement-free social services and addictions recovery treatment.

Greens call on the Ford government to immediately reverse this decision and properly invest in harm reduction as part of a comprehensive plan to provide low-barrier mental health and addictions care to every single Ontarian who needs it.”

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