Lives at stake: Community leaders and residents in Barrie rally in die-in protest to save Ontario's supervised consumption sites

Community leaders, healthcare advocates, and residents gathered in barrie’s meridian place for a die-in protest, urging the Ontario government to halt the closure of vital supervised consumption sites, as overdose rates climb and lives are lost, protesters highlight the critical role of these sites in harm reduction and public health. Five are in Toronto and one each in Ottawa, Kitchener, Thunder Bay, Hamilton and Guelph. 

Deepak Bidwai – Local Journalism Initiative

Dr. Mac Chown, an anesthesiologist and primary care provider for the unhoused in Barrie, advocated strongly for supervised consumption sites as essential tools in harm reduction. Drawing on his background in emergency medicine, Dr. Chown emphasizes that harm reduction is a fundamental principle in healthcare and society, particularly for individuals facing complex challenges such as addiction.

Many conditions contributing to human illness are influenced by environmental factors or lifestyle choices, yet we continue to support people through those, he said. “The same should be true for people who use drugs.” He sees supervised consumption sites as an extension of compassionate care, offering critical, nonjudgmental support to improve health and safety within the community.

Christine Nayler, co-founder of Ryan’s Hope, criticized Premier Doug Ford’s decision, noting that Ford disregarded scientific evidence, including a study his administration had commissioned. Instead, she said he made his choice based on limited consultations with residents near supervised consumption sites, ultimately prioritizing politics over people’s lives. “This is a deadly decision,” she stressed. "He’s playing politics with people’s lives.”

Community leader Michael Speers expressed deep concern about the short-term future of these sites, highlighting how political leaders like Premier Doug Ford and Barrie’s Mayor Alex Nuttall have jeopardized the lives of vulnerable individuals struggling with homelessness and substance abuse. “We used to take pride in taking care of each other, but that seems to be ignored by a lot of people in our community, led by the mayor," he said.

The protest on Monday was part of a broader provincial action involving communities such as Hamilton, Kitchener, Waterloo, and Queen’s Park in Toronto, aimed at raising awareness of the critical role these sites play in harm reduction and community health.

“We have the knowledge and resources to prevent needless deaths,” Ashleigh, outreach volunteer for Ryan’s Hope said. “Safe consumption sites save lives. They offer a safe space and connect people with resources. More importantly, they meet people where they’re at, without judgment.” She noted that these sites are not merely a response to the overdose crisis but are also integral in offering a pathway to health and recovery for many individuals. 

The City of Barrie’s supervised consumption site, approved by the previous city council under Mayor Jeff Lehman in 2021, secured federal approval from Health Canada in 2022, with a renewal in 2023. However, the site at 11 Innisfil St. did not receive final approval from the Ontario provincial government under Premier Doug Ford.

After years of delays and incurring rental costs for an unapproved site, local officials from the Canadian Mental Health Association Simcoe County and the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit decided in July to withdraw the application. The Health Unit had consistently advocated for the life-saving impact of supervised consumption sites.

In 2023, 144 residents in Simcoe-Muskoka lost their lives to suspected opioid-related poisonings, most between the ages of 25 and 44. In the week beginning October 13, 2024, there were 21 suspected overdose emergency visits and 2 suspected overdose deaths— up from the previous week’s count of one death.