Toronto city council's board of health took a stand against provincial legislation that will shut down several supervised consumption sites in the city by voting to seek intervention in an ongoing legal challenge. The board argues that the legislation violates fundamental rights and will lead to an increase in overdoses.
Toronto city council's board of health voted on Monday to seek intervention in a legal challenge against provincial legislation that will lead to the closure of several supervised consumption sites this year. The board is requesting the city solicitor to intervene on its behalf, if granted permission by the Superior Court. Supervised consumption sites provide a safe environment for individuals to use illicit drugs under the supervision of trained staff.
Last year, the Ontario government passed legislation prohibiting these sites from being located within 200 meters of schools and daycares. The legal challenge, initiated by Toronto's social services agency The Neighbourhood Group in December, argues that this legislation violates both the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Constitution, including the fundamental rights to life, liberty, and security of the person. 'We will continue to do what we're doing here at the city to try to support and others who have really championed this fight in the courts,' stated Coun. Chris Moise, the chair of the city's health board, who introduced the motion. According to the Ontario Courts of Justice Act, an individual who is not initially involved in a court proceeding can request to intervene as an added party if they have a vested interest in the subject matter or could be negatively impacted by the court's decision. Ontario paramedics have witnessed a quadrupling in the number of patients brought to hospitals due to opioid use over the past decade, according to a study. Sewell expressed concern that the provincial legislation will result in a significant increase in preventable deaths. He characterized it as a direct assault on the city's authority to address public health concerns. If the city fails to intervene in the legal challenge, Sewell asserted, it would be a major setback.During Monday's meeting, the board also endorsed recommendations from a report that warns the province's plan to close these sites could lead to a surge in fatal overdoses. The report, prepared by acting Medical Officer of Health Na-Koshie Lamptey, anticipates that the closure of five supervised consumption sites in Toronto by the end of March could also intensify the workload of paramedics. 'The new legislation will restrict access to an evidence-based clinical healthcare service, resulting in an anticipated increase in preventable fatal and non-fatal overdoses,' the report presented to the board stated. Among its recommendations, the report urges the board to implore the Ontario government to expand access to supervised consumption sites. It also requests that the board seek detailed plans from the province outlining strategies to mitigate the impact on the healthcare system resulting from the site closures. Doris Grinspun, CEO of the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario, condemned the province's new rules, classifying them as 'a death sentence for people that use substances.' Coun. Michael Thompson, representing Scarborough Centre, acknowledged the city's failure to adequately address public safety concerns regarding safe consumption sites. 'I know we talk about the province here and there's a perception that they are the 'bad people,' quite frankly,' Thompson stated. However, he emphasized that 'they're responding to complaints that we appear not to be addressing as a city.'Coun. Chris Moise countered that the city is making the most of its limited resources and has been actively engaging in discussions regarding the challenges associated with safe consumption sites. Moise, a former addictions counsellor, explained that the locations of safe consumption sites were strategically chosen to meet the needs of those communities. He asserted that if the sites close, the demand will persist, and individuals will continue using drugs, but in unsanitary outdoor environments
Supervised Consumption Sites Ontario Legislation Overdose Prevention Public Health Legal Challenge
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