North Bay police have taken a harder approach to open-air drug use in public areas.

Chief Daryl Longworth told council at a special meeting on Monday that open-air drug use in city parks, downtown, and other areas will not be tolerated.

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He said the tough stance is having a positive effect, according to businesses and the general public.

Longworth said the service adopted a harder approach on open-air drug use in 2024, and police communicated that with its community partners in health and social service sectors to get the word out through their community engagement teams.

That approach was continued in 2025.

Longworth said, for years, the public prosecution office took the stance that they were not going to prosecute simple possession, no matter what type of drug, f

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