Ontario Banning Drug Consumption Sites Near Schools, Child-Care Centres

Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones listens to questions from reporters following a press conference in Etobicoke, Ont., on Jan. 11, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Tijana Martin

The Ontario government is banning drug consumption sites from operating within 200 metres of schools and child-care centres.

Health Minister Sylvia Jones made the announcement at the 2024 annual general meeting of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) on Aug. 20.

Jones said that the government heard from parents who were concerned about the sites being close to spaces where kids play.

“Some parents no longer feel comfortable sending their children to the local elementary school or have pulled them out of their local daycare,” she said. “Businesses and communities are concerned about disruptive behaviour that increases crime around drug consumption sites that impact their communities.”

Ontario has 22 supervised drug consumption sites, according to Health Canada. About nine of those sites will need to cease services as a result of the ban.

Jones said Ontario would also be introducing new measures for the remaining sites that focused on increasing public safety, discouraging loitering, improving community engagement, and conflict de-escalation.

“At the same time, we will be introducing new measures that will prohibit any new [Consumption and Treatment Services] site from opening or participating in federal so-called safer supply initiatives,” Jones said.

There have been over 44,000 drug-related deaths in Canada since 2016, according to Health Canada statistics. Most of the deaths have occurred in B.C., Alberta, and Ontario.

Addiction Treatment Hubs

Jones said the province was also investing $378 million to develop 19 new homeless and addiction recovery treatment hubs, dubbed HART hubs.

“We need to do more to support a journey into treatment and recovery, to keep communities safe and to address the tragic impact substance abuse, drug overdoses and opioid related deaths have in our communities,” she said.

The HART hubs are built on a model that emphasizes recovery, she said during the speech to the AMO.

“Learning from early adopters like the City of London, these hubs provide a comprehensive and coordinated approach to treatment, including primary care, integrated mental health and addictions care, social services and employment support, increased availability for shelter beds and supportive housing and other supplies and services, including Naloxone on site, showers, and food,” Jones said.

She added that the centres would not be providing drug consumption or needle exchange programs.

The minister also said that the nine drug consumption sites slated for closure that lie within 200 metres of a school or child-care centre will have the opportunity to instead convert into a HART hub.