THUNDER BAY – NorWest Community Health Centres has applied to the province to operate a temporary overdose prevention site at its Simpson Street facility.
The organization, which has partnered with Dilico Anishinabek Family Care, is one of two proponents looking to develop a supervised consumption services site in Thunder Bay to combat some of the highest rates of opioid hospitalizations and emergency department visits in Ontario.
The application for a six-month site has been submitted to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, which has been granted an exemption under federal law to allow for temporary sites as a province experiencing a public health emergency.
The proposed site at 525 Simpson Street would operate seven days a week for eight hours each day. The plan would have four booths available, in anticipation of being able to support as many as 50 people each day. The people using the use room would be monitored by a registered nurse as well as harm reduction workers.
The site’s floor plan includes a waiting area, harm reduction supply room, use room, post-use area for observation and a staff observation room to allow workers to see into both the use and post-use rooms.
As well as supervised injections, the proposal would also allow users to use oral or intranasal drugs.
As part of the application process, the municipality is required to submit a response to the ministry. The Thunder Bay Drug Strategy is recommending council on Monday night vote to offer its backing behind the project, along with Mayor Keith Hobbs sending a letter to the ministry to express support on behalf of the city.
The report before council states Thunder Bay had the highest annualized rate of opioid overdose deaths in Ontario between 2013 and 2016. The city was also seventh in Canada for opioid poisoning hospitalizations and fifth in Ontario for emergency department visits for 2016-2017.
“Superior North EMS continues to see an increase in opioid related overdose calls annually, as well as increased administration of naloxone by paramedics,” according to the report.
The proposal from the group is separate from the one they have undertaken through Health Canada. Elevate NWO, along with the Joseph Esquega Health Centre and Anishnawbe Mushiki, have also been pursuing federal approval. Both of those processes are undergoing community consultation.
