The location of a supervised drug consumption site in London may be a long-term goal for city health officials, but an overdose prevention site is being considered as a short-term solution to the ongoing opioid crisis.
The matter was a late addition to the Middlesex London Board of Health meeting Thursday night, which recommended exploring the idea of overdose prevention sites.
"It's a response a quick response to increased individuals dying of opioid overdose," says Shaya Dhinsa of the Middlesex-London Health Unit.
Last week, Ontario's minister of health Eric Hoskins officially asked the federal government for a federal exemption status for overdose prevention sites, like the one in Moss Park in Toronto. Details of what that will look like haven't been announced.
"The ministry has a webinar next Tuesday, in which we will share those details of the program with us and we hope to be ready to act on that information as soon as it comes out," said Dr. Chris Mackie.
Overdose prevention sites are different that safe consumption sites, which recently completed the public consultation process. They’re meant to act as a temporary solution.
"That process can take a while to go through you can apply and it can take eight months or more before you are approved and have a facility," said Dhinsa.
Issues such as a location would have to be worked out with the city, which is still working on a report for the safe consumption facility process.
"We're also moving towards identifying locations that would be feasible and we're pretty close to being able to speak about that publicly about some of those that would meet the needs of all the stake holders involved," said Mackie.
The recommendation passed Thursday’s meeting, and Dr. Mackie expects to meet with city officials in the coming days concerning the location issue.
