Religious organizations have gathered at Queen's Park to implore Ontario Premier Doug Ford to reconsider the decision to close 10 supervised consumption sites across the province. They argue that closing these sites will inevitably lead to a surge in overdose deaths, and they appeal to Ford's humanity to prioritize human life over an abstinence-based treatment model.
TORONTO — Faith leaders are calling on Ontario Premier Doug Ford to reverse course on his decision to close 10 supervised consumption sites across the province.
Ontario will shutter the 10 sites because they're too close to schools and daycares, and the government will prohibit any new ones from opening as it moves to an abstinence-based treatment model. "We believe that those who are visiting the sites are the folks who have the least resources, the highest need and the least access to privacy and care," said Bishop Andrew Asbil of the Anglican Diocese of Toronto.
Opioids began to take a hold in Ontario in 2015 with the rise of illicit fentanyl. Opioid toxicity deaths surged during the COVID-19 pandemic and hit a peak mortality rate of 19.3 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021, data from the Office of the Chief Coroner shows. That year 2,858 people died from opioids, the vast majority of which contained fentanyl.
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