‘You’ve Got to Be Kidding Me’: Premier Ford Opposes Toronto’s ‘Nightmare’ Drug Decriminalization Proposal

Ontario Premier Doug Ford speaking at the 2023 Ontario Economic Summit in Toronto, on Nov. 1, 2023. The Canadian Press/Christopher Katsarov

Ontario Premier Doug Ford is opposing a City of Toronto proposal to decriminalize the possession of hard drugs, calling the policy of decriminalization a “nightmare” where it has already been put into practice.

The Ontario leader said Monday that the province should be doing more to invest in treatment for drug addicts as well as more investment in mental health. “That’s what we should be doing, not legalizing hard drugs. Like you got to be kidding me. Like letting people do cocaine and crack and heroin.” he said.

In late March, the City of Toronto released a report on “Toronto’s Model of Decriminalizing Drugs for Personal Use,” which called on the federal government to exempt the city from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to allow small amounts of illegal narcotics for personal use.

“Decades of stigma about drug use has led to an assumption that decriminalization might have a negative impact on community safety. However, possessing drugs for personal use does not directly cause harm to others,” the report said.

The Toronto proposal would allow the possession of drugs everywhere in the city except for airports—which fall under federal jurisdiction—K-12 schools, and child-care facilities.

Mr. Ford was adamant in his opposition to the proposal. “I will fight this tooth and nail. This is the wrong way to go. It’s proven,” he said, mentioning Oregon and British Columbia as examples.

Premier Ford’s comments came just days after the B.C. government announced a U-turn on its drug decriminalization pilot project, which was expected to last until next year.

B.C. Premier David Eby announced last week that the province would be changing the decriminalization policy to ensure addicts were not using drugs in public. Drug use will be illegal on public transit, in all public places, as well as in hospitals across the province.

“We have health workers saying we’ve got an issue in our hospitals,” Mr. Eby said. “You have retail and restaurant workers saying we’re seeing use even inside a coffee shop.”

Earlier this month, RCMP Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald and Vancouver Police Deputy Chief Fiona Wilson testified before a House of Commons committee in Ottawa regarding decriminalization and noted that overdose deaths have not declined in the province, although arrests for simple possession have gone down.

The two senior law enforcement officials also noted that police were having difficulties identifying safe supply drugs that have been sold illegally, with seizures of safe supply drugs taking place in Prince George and Campbell River in recent months.

Public consumption of drugs was also a concern shared by the officials, with Ms. Wilson stating, “In addition, there have been concerns from small businesses about problematic drug use that prevents access by customers or negatively affects operations.”

B.C. hospitals have complained of drug addicts using drugs on their premises, and while initially B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix proposed designating spaces in the hospitals or on their property to allow addicts to use drugs, Mr. Eby has said that he will be looking to ban both use and possession in hospitals.

The Canadian Institutes of Health and Research, meanwhile, has taken a different view, publishing a report that claimed the 2.5-gram possession amount could be too low for addicts, noting that those living in rural communities would be unable to buy illegal drugs in bulk.

“Buying in bulk may be more economical, particularly for [people who use drugs] residing in remote communities. It is common practice to purchase in bulk and split or share among peers,” the report said.