Two community organizations are asking the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care to bring a temporary safe injection site to Windsor’s downtown core.
The Windsor-Essex Community Health Centre and the Aids Committee of Windsor have submitted a joint application for a temporary overdose prevention site.
Proponents suggest the site would help deal with the growing problem of opioid use in Windsor and help prevent overdose deaths.
Stats show there were 37 opioid-related deaths in 2016, and from January to September in 2017, there were 19 deaths.
The proposed location of this temporary site is on Pellissier Street, near Street Help, in the city’s downtown core.
“This is where it has to be and needs to be,” says downtown resident Steve Woodman. “All the drug users seem to be here in the downtown core. We are constantly picking up needles. “
But Windsor police chief Al Frederick has some concerns about the proposal. He tells CTV Windsor officers would still have to enforce the law.
“In theory, could someone be apprehended for possession of a narcotic prior to entering that establishment? Absolutely,” says Frederick.
The city’s top cop says he supports the community partners that have stepped up to create a safe area to help reduce harm, but he adds his force cannot overlook the law.
“We just can't ignore the fact that outside of that safe injection site it's illegal to possess drugs and that's the distinction to make,” says Frederick.
90 per cent of the funding for a supervised safe injection site would come from the Ministry of Health.
The application by the Windsor groups is one of 16 in Ontario. No decision will be made until after the June 7 election.
