Funding remains a top concern as operations shift and supervised injection services end at Timmins safe injection site.
On July 1, Safe Health Site Timmins (SHST) will no longer offer supervised consumption services and the Canadian Mental Health Association Cochrane-Timiskaming (CMHA) will take over the operation of the remaining services, including harm reduction, said Angèle Desormeau, CMHA director of addiction and housing services. However, finding funding in the long term continues to be a challenge.
“We’re running it month by month at this point, sometimes less than a month,” she said.
The site’s monthly budget has not been provided by CMHA.
Ward 3 Coun. Bill Gvozdanovic, who has been a vocal opponent of the site’s location and operations, said that the change in the services provided isn’t a win.
“This is not any kind of victory in closing this site. It's been the wrong decision all along to put it in a residential area,” Gvozdanovic told TimminsToday by email.
Last year, SHST received approval for a permanent facility from Health Canada, which allowed it to apply for funding from the province.
“The approval is tied to the location on the application,” said Desormeau.
Right after receiving the federal nod, Ontario paused all new funding applications for safe consumption sites to allow for a review of the facilities after a woman was hit by a stray bullet and killed outside of a Toronto site. According to CMHA, it hasn’t heard anything about the review on safe consumption sites conducted by the province.
The exemptions needed through the federal government to run a safe consumption site hinge on having the funding in place, and provincial funding is key to the program’s viability, said Desormeau.
“Unless we can find some kind of donor, we are relying on the province,” she said.
RELATED: Timmins supervised injection site closing July 1
While the funding application is under review, it is tied to the location on Cedar Street.
“It's up to the province to come up with a plan,” said Gvozdanovic. “My role will always be the same, which is to make sure the public has a say in where facilities are located.”
The supervised consumption site is a place for people to use previously obtained drugs in the presence of trained medical staff and connect to services. It opened in July 2022 and was funded by the City of Timmins for its first 1.5 years. When that funding expired, Timmins and District Hospital stepped up to fund it.
When CMHA takes over on Monday. The hours will remain at 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week.
The CMHA says that people using the SHST should call the National Overdose Response Service (NORS) Hotline at 1-888-688- 6677. They also advise people not to use it alone and always carry Naloxone.
On-site counselling, referrals to health services, treatment, harm reduction, education, and other supports will continue at the SHST.
Mobile withdrawal services and two in-patient withdrawal beds are also still available though TADH.
“We will continue to provide help to the most vulnerable members of our community,” said Desormeau.
