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The Windsor CTS Advocacy Coalition staged a protest Friday outside the office of MPP Andrew Dowie over the uncertain future of SafePoint — Windsor’s only consumption and treatment services site — calling it an “emergency situation.”
Rally organizers also met with Dowie (PC, Windsor-Tecumseh) to request interim funding in order to restore SafePoint’s services, as the city awaits the conclusion of a province-wide critical incident review into a fatality that occurred outside of a Toronto safe-consumption site.
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Members also wanted more support for those experiencing addiction, and for frontline outreach workers who now lack a “crucial” community resource since SafePoint closed three months ago.
“We want to get the point across that this is an emergency situation and we cannot wait anymore for the funding,” said Windsor CTS Advocacy Coalition co-organizer Lacie Krzemien, who is also a harm reduction outreach coordinator at Pozitive Pathways.
“We think that all of the professionals have done their due diligence, and it’s now time for the political government to step up in good faith and support the work that we’ve been doing.”
Dowie said he agreed to the discussion because he “enjoys meeting with stakeholders to learn about various issues and understand the background and the passion that goes into them.”
As Dowie met with Krzemien and two other coalition members Friday afternoon, roughly 50 supporters gathered outside his office holding signs and proclaiming “SafePoint is healthcare.”
After operating for eight months, SafePoint paused its services on Jan. 1, awaiting funding from the province.
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Until then, the local health unit had been covering the site’s operational costs, anticipating provincial funding to start by the summer. However, all new funding approvals were paused pending the conclusion of the critical incident review, for which the province has not provided a timeline.
The Windsor facility costs $700,000 to operate annually.
Krzemien said she feels that the “waiting game is over” and that it’s time for the province to share an update.
“There’s really been no communication,” she said.
“They say they’re reviewing but we don’t know what they are reviewing. We don’t know how long they’re reviewing for.”
Eric Nadalin, director of mental health promotion for the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, told the Star that he has not received any communication from the Ontario Ministry of Health regarding the review.
Dowie acknowledged the group’s anxiety awaiting the outcome, but stressed the importance of not rushing the process.
“I understand people are anxious, and the unknown is the toughest part,” said Dowie.
“I respect that very much. I share the anxiousness of the community in wanting a conclusion to the critical incident review, so we can understand how to best get the people in our community the best treatment for their addictions and to help them in their recovery.”
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In October of last year, the province announced it would temporarily halt approvals for new CTS sites while it conducted a review into the fatal daytime shooting of a 44-year-old woman at a location in Toronto’s east end.
On July 7, Karolina Huebner-Makurat was struck by a stray bullet while walking near the South Riverdale Community Health Centre.
“This is not something that can get turned around quickly,” Dowie said. “It needs to be exhaustive, given it’s a matter of the human condition.”
Dowie told the Star on Feb. 16 that the review was “closer to the conclusion than the start,” and he reaffirmed that statement again on March 7.
The Star has repeatedly contacted the Ministry of Health for updates since SafePoint’s closure, though has not heard anything new.
On Friday, the ministry reiterated the same statement they provided on Nov. 22, more than a month before Safepoint shuttered.
The statement read: “CTS sites are expected to build trust in the communities where they are located through consultation and ongoing engagement, and we understand the importance of community feedback in this matter. Based on input received from the community following the tragic incident in July at the Riverdale site, the ministry launched a review of all sites.
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“These reviews will inform the next steps taken by the Ministry of Health. All applications for new CTS sites currently with the Ministry are on pause.”
The ministry did not respond to the Star’s request for an interview with the Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Michael Tibollo.
Megan Ball Rigden, vice-president elect of Pozitive Pathway’s board of directors, told the Star during Friday’s rally that they expect the review to conclude sometime this month.
Meanwhile, she said frontline workers are grappling with burnout as they try to help clients.
“We’re very, very concerned that our fellow residents remain at a high risk of overdose and death while the government decides,” said Krzemien, who said she recently returned from a month-long stress leave.
“I had to step back and put the oxygen mask back on myself to be able to serve our community.”
She said SafePoint was the sole provider of wrap-around services in the community. Beyond safe consumption, the staff there also offered basic medical care, and referrals to social services and mental health supports in the community.
Although it is difficult to assess whether the situation has deteriorated since SafePoint’s closure, Krzemien said frontline workers continue to witness overdoses daily.
“The fear in my job everyday is that I don’t know if I’m going to see my clients tomorrow, and that’s the reality,” she said.
“When I had SafePoint as a resource, I knew they were safe when they were there.”
mmazak@postmedia.com
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