Two people removed from Queen’s Park after outburst over Ford government’s removal of safe consumption sites
A heated incident at Queen’s Park took place on Tuesday when protesters spoke up against the government closing safe consumption sites in Ontario.
During a recent session at Queen’s Park, a protester interrupted the discussion from the observation gallery of the provincial legislature, voicing opposition to the Ontario government’s decision to close safe consumption sites. As Associate Minister for Mental Health and Addictions, Michael Tibollo, defended the new legislation, the man shouted, "I work in a safe consumption site. I see one to two people overdose every day and we save lives. There’s blood on your hands!" He was quickly escorted out by security.
Moments later, another protester was removed after speaking out against the same issue.
On Monday, the Ford government introduced a bill, The Safer Streets, Stronger Communities Act, which proposes the closure of 10 supervised consumption sites, including five in Toronto. The bill aims to protect children and families by prohibiting these sites within 200 metres of schools, licensed childcare centres, and EarlyON Child and Family Centres.
If passed, the legislation would also require municipalities and local boards to seek approval to fund or participate in safer supply programs. Additionally, it would prevent these entities from applying to the federal Minister of Health for exemptions related to the decriminalization of illegal drugs.
Health Minister Sylvia Jones emphasized in a press conference that, under the proposed law, Ontario will not permit any further safe injection sites.
In a separate announcement, the Ontario government revealed plans to invest $378 million into 19 new homelessness and addiction recovery treatment hubs (HART hubs), which are expected to open in March 2025.
NDP Leader Marit Stiles expressed concern about the legislation, telling reporters, “Obviously people are very concerned... I don’t know who those protesters were, but I know that people on the front line are particularly worried about the impact this will have on lives lost.”
Supervised consumption sites, according to the Government of Canada, are designated spaces where individuals can use their own drugs in a safe environment under the supervision of trained staff. The goal is to prevent accidental overdoses and reduce the transmission of diseases like HIV.
