Province defunds Toronto’s last supervised consumption site outside downtown core

The last supervised consumption site in Toronto’s west end is being forced to "wind down" services after the Ontario government said it will be pulling the service's funding as of Nov. 22.

The centre is “devastated” by the decision, said Angela Robertson, executive director of the Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre, in a news release. She said it puts vulnerable people in greater danger.

“This decision does not make drug use disappear — it simply forces people back into parks, public washrooms, shelters and sidewalks, with nowhere to safely use drugs and nowhere to dispose of drug use equipment,” Robertson said in the release.

The Parkdale supervised consumption service (SCS) offers harm-reduction services like Naloxone training and distribution, drug checking, informal couns