Duelling supervised injection site protests in Cambridge

CAMBRIDGE — More than 100 protesters and counterprotesters met in Cambridge Friday afternoon to sound off about two proposed supervised injection sites in downtown Galt.

The citizens’ group A Clean Cambridge organized the protest first at 150 Main St. to voice opposition to the proposed locations, while the Cambridge Harm Reduction Alliance organized a counterprotest.

“A site like this is needed because it can help target (drug) users,” said Ryan O’Hagan, a member of the harm reduction alliance.

It’s easier to treat drug addicts if you provide them access to clean needles, trained nurses and other social supports, he said. “I think this is a very good spot.”

But those against the site say it’s too close to local schools and puts the community at risk. Central Public School is just around the corner from the Main Street location.

“I think keeping people using drugs is killing them,” said Mary Jane Sherman, a member of A Clean Cambridge. “I want to see more rehab and treatment.”

The two sides met on the sidewalk outside 150 Main St., a regional building and one of two supervised injection sites proposed for Cambridge.

The protests were largely peaceful, but a few tense moments arose as demonstrators debated their differing opinions.

The second proposed location in Cambridge is 149 Ainslie St. N., about 850 metres from the proposed Main Street location and just steps from The Bridges shelter.

It’s currently the site of the Cambridge Family Early Years Centre, which runs programs for families with young children. The centre says it’ll be relocating later this year or in early 2019.

Further complicating matters is the fact the City of Cambridge passed a temporary bylaw in April banning injection sites from the city’s three core areas.

In June, the Region of Waterloo unveiled proposed supervised injection sites — the two Cambridge locations and two Kitchener sites, 115 Water St. N. and an unidentified location.

In late June, the region confirmed the second Kitchener location was not available, reducing the list of sites to three.