'There are people using this as a politicization': Head of Intercommunity Health condemns politicians over Safe Supply criticisms

The head of the London clinic that piloted one of the controversial Safer Opioid Supply (SOS) programs says clients’ lives are being put at risk because some on Parliament Hill have chosen to politicize the program.

Scott Courtice, the executive director of the London Intercommunity Health Centre, made the comments Wednesday, a day after a parliamentary committee met to discuss the opioid epidemic.

“I’m concerned there are people using this as a politicization and a wedge to try to tell a story that helps their political advantage, and not really get at solving the crisis that we’re all very concerned about,” exclaimed Courtice.

On Tuesday, London Police Chief Thai Truong was one of several witnesses and experts to testify at the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health. He was peppered with questions about the challenges of policing the city’s drug problem.

London Police Chief Thai Truong testifies at the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health. (Source: ourcommons.ca)

“Does that concern you, that vulnerable people are being made more vulnerable by the use of government funded drugs?” asked Conservative MP Laila Goodridge.

Chief Truong responded, “Our concern is the victimization of all individuals in the community. Vulnerable and marginalized people are extremely at risk.”

The chief told the committee police need help in dealing with drugs being diverted from the program to the streets.

“I’m not here to criticize the safe supply program, but to address the serious challenges associated with its diversion. We need innovation to mitigate risks. We need robust enforcement to hold traffickers accountable,” said Truong.

Conservative MP Laila Goodridge at the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health. (Source: ourcommons.ca)

Here’s how the SOS program works at the Intercommunity Health Centre, as explained by Courtice: The centre has about 200 clients it describes as high risk of death. They’re prescribed an alternate to the toxic drug supply they would otherwise access on the streets. Those clients pick up that prescription every day. Courtice estimates diversion from his centre’s program has happened about a dozen times in the last few years. He says the increase in diversion coincides with other prescribers coming onstream in 2023.

“The large increase that police are seeing in diversion, the timing is about when we had the increase in the number of prescribers in our community that were providing Safer Supply. Our program, we have a long history and experience of providing, preventing diversion. So, it’s rare in our program, and we take it seriously,” said Courtice.

Federal funding for London’s SOS program comes to an end at the end of March. Courtice says it means six staff dedicated to providing wraparound supports for high-risk addicts will be reassigned.

Scott Courtice, executive director of the London Intercommunity Health Centre, speaks to CTV News. (Bryan Bicknell/CTV News London)