Public ‘engaged’ in process to identify drug consumption sites
WATERLOO REGION — The Region of Waterloo is “happy” with the number of locations suggested by the public for consideration as supervised drug consumption sites, but would not reveal the number.
The region put out a call for possible locations in an online survey that closed on Friday.
“I think it’s safe to say we’re happy with the response,” said Karen Quigley-Hobbs, the region’s director of infectious disease, dental and sexual health. “The community was engaged and we received a healthy response.”
Quigley-Hobbs said Monday it was too soon to say how many submissions were received.
“They’re literally just starting to analyze it.”
The online survey says it recorded 117 responses, with more than half coming from Cambridge residents at 67. That’s followed by Kitchener at 45, four from Waterloo, and one from North Dumfries.
Landlords will now be contacted to determine if suggested sites are available, and then they will be reviewed based on the criteria and considerations used for the previous sites.
“If after all that there were to be additional sites recommended, we would need to go through a notification process,” Quigley-Hobbs said.
That process would be similar to a report released publicly in mid-June that shortlisted four locations for further consideration from 29 potential sites.
The region wants to open two consumption sites where people can use drugs while being supervised to avoid a deadly overdose — one in Kitchener and one in Cambridge.
The shortlisted sites were 115 Water St. N. in Kitchener, and 149 Ainslie St. N. and 150 Main St. in Cambridge. A second, unnamed location in Kitchener was later dropped because it turned out to not available.
Both locations in Cambridge are in the Galt core, within the area included in a temporary city bylaw adopted in April banning supervised injection sites in the city’s three cores. A council amendment would be needed for the region to continue with an application, although the city made it clear at the time that the two locations were not acceptable.
Quigley-Hobbs was unsure how long it would take to evaluate the citizen-suggested locations. Additional sites may also be recommended by the implementation work group.
The criteria include being in an area of need, as indicated by high rates of overdose and public drug use. The region is looking for a site that’s at least 1,000 square feet, but ideally closer to 2,000 square feet to accommodate wraparound services. The site should be within a 10minute walk to areas of highest reported drug use, and be easily accessible.
Opioid-related paramedic calls are highest in central Kitchener and the Galt core in Cambridge. Last year, there were 85 overdose deaths in the region.