I’d like to start off by offering my deepest sympathies to anyone who has lost family members or friends to the ongoing opioid crisis in our city. On November 12th, Board of Health received an update on opioid-related deaths in Hamilton and the data is staggering. It is important to recognize that the following numbers are more than statistics, these are our neighbours and each number is a significant loss of human life. It is this reality as to why the whole of Council that make up the Board of Health are committed to supporting additional harm reduction and comprehensive consumption treatment services across the City.

Drug use is complex and multi-faceted and it will take a complex and multi-faceted approach to support the healing and overall health of those with substance use disorders in our community. Supervised consumption sites are a lifesaving, harm reduction-based service that provide many community benefits. CTS services provide a safe, clean space for people to bring their own drugs to use, in the presence of trained staff and healthcare professionals. This prevents accidental overdoses and reduces the spread of infectious diseases, such as HIV. They actively contribute to safe needle disposal so they don’t end up discarded in alleyways, vestibules and sidewalks. In a nutshell, CTS sites provide important healthcare and social services to residents who are facing truly challenging circumstances in life.

It was found in a Public Health Ontario study that during the pandemic there have been rising trends of opioid-related deaths across most regions of Ontario, but particularly in Hamilton, Toronto, Ottawa and Peel each exhibiting the largest increases in rates and absolute number of cases. In Hamilton, there have been 85 opioid-related deaths from January to June this year, a 55% increase over the same time period last year. And we anticipate exceeding the total opioid death rate of previous years. The monthly number of overdose calls to Hamilton Paramedic Services also remains high. Since January, 865 people have called 911 locally for a suspected opioid overdose (compared to 565 for all of 2020). These statistics and regular Public Health updates regarding opioid-related data will continue to be made available here.

The data suggests that Wards 2 and 3 would benefit from service expansion. In 2020, Ward 3 made up a quarter of paramedic incidents in the City (25.2%) and the current pattern for 2021 is similar with 21% (172 calls) for Ward 3, and of the 172 calls located in Ward 3, 12% were from Barton Street East. Additionally, Ward 3 sees more mobile van client interactions than any other Ward in our City. In 2020, 1677 mobile van interactions occurred in Ward 3 and the current 2021 trend has seen 1299 client interactions. We also have the highest number of safe needle deposit boxes in our parks.

Currently, Hamilton Urban Core Community Health Centre (HUCCHC) is operating an interim CTS location at 70 James St South and another CTS location is also under development for Ward 2 to help address the needs in the downtown core. Urban Core will be relocating all its services, including CTS to a new state-of-the-art community health clinic in Ward 3 at 430 Cannon St E in September 2023.

The Aids Network (TAN) is pursuing an application with the Ministry of Health for Hamilton’s second CTS, also to be located in Ward 3 at 748 Barton St E. According to TAN, the storefront provides ample room inside to be repurposed for multiple essential services including CTS, housing and health support to meet the localized need for these services. Ultimately, the Province will decide if the application will be approved or not. One of the requirements of the application is to conduct community consultation and develop a path to mitigate impacts with the direct participation of those in the local area.

I have received petitions on both sides of the issue, in support and against. I’ve had attended two community consultations; one hosted by Luso Charitable Association, and the other hosted by the Afro-Canadian Caribbean Association. I acknowledge many are feeling uncomfortable and others feel ill-informed. The concerns that have been expressed range from proximity of the site to schools, proximity to existing services, the potential impact on local businesses, and perceptions around safety. It has also been encouraging to receive inquiries to simply better understand how the CTS will operate and what the service plan could look like. These are all legitimate and I cannot stress enough how important it is for local businesses, organizations and neighbours to engage directly in the formal consultation process that TAN is leading or email directly cts@aidsnetwork.ca for any questions.

Whether this application is approved or not, this is a health crisis we all have a part to play in addressing. One simple step we can take as neighbours is to support destigmatizing the issues. People who struggle with substance use disorders deserve to have their humanity valued just as much as everyone else. To learn more on how about community efforts to foster care and support harm reduction, check out these great resources:

City planner and placemaker, Jay Pitter reminds us that as we pursue fostering neighbourhoods of belonging we must understand that “equitable placemaking does not simply entail advocating for dignified, accessible and beautiful spaces for yourself and individuals who look like you. It requires an intentional effort to advocate for others even when all of your needs and desires are honoured in a space or place.” Overdose deaths are preventable and we must do all that we can to ensure that no more lives are lost to this crisis.

Hamilton’s Toxic Drug Crisis and a Future Rooted in Harm Reduction