Waning support on council for harm reduction drug program serving homeless Londoners

Some members of council are balking at the idea of accepting federal money for harm reduction programs. CTV London’s Daryl Newcombe explains.

Political support is softening among City Councillors for harm reduction provided to Londoners who live in encampments.

On Tuesday, city staff recommended council endorse an agreement with Health Canada that would direct federal funding to enhance existing capacity and increase the basic needs provided to encampments.

But a reference to harm reduction services in the agreement prompted several councillors to express their changing opinions about certain harm reduction activities.

“I remember when we had a needle exchange program,” explained Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis. “That became a needle giveaway program, and now it’s become a delivery to folks living in encampments.

Lewis said there are too many incidents where drug paraphernalia provided by harm reduction services ends up in parks, playgrounds, and backyards.

Councillor Steve Lehman added, “Of course we have to provide ways for folks to get treatment for addiction - but this is not the way.”

Civic Administration emphasized that the Emergency Treatment Fund (ETF) from Health Canada is meant to offset encampment-related costs that had fallen upon the municipality.

“This ETF funding is the source to support those outreach services that council just endorsed,” explained Deputy City Manager of Social and Health Development Kevin Dickins. “If there was going to be a significant change, we would have to revisit our ability to deliver those services.”

“I would rather decline it because in that uncontrolled environment it’s very dangerous,” admitted Councillor Jerry Pribil who volunteers with outreach organizations. “Potentially instead of saving lives, it could cost lives.”

“This is concerning to Londoners, and I just can’t support a focus on this,” said Councillor Susan Stevenson.

However, a majority of council still supported using Health Canada’s ETF funding for encampment outreach after Mayor Josh Morgan pointed out the alternative, “You might not like every component of this, but the federal government is giving us dollars for things that we were spending municipal dollars on before.”

Next week, a council committee will consider funding basic needs provision and healthcare services at 602 Queens Ave., known as The Commons, from the same federal fund.

The staff report reads, “The project aims to urgently address health care (e.g., overdose events, deaths from overdose) and basic needs among people who use substances and are experiencing homelessness.”

The $444,250 would provide service and wraparound supports at The Commons over the next 12 months.

The program’s objectives include:

• alleviate substance related harms
• address immediate basic needs and acute health and safety concerns
• decrease desperation for water, food, and hygiene

“At London Cares, we believe in the four pillars of recovery - and harm reduction is one of those pillars, so is enforcement, and so is treatment,” Chantelle McDonald, Director of Service told CTV News. “We need to work with the continuum of supports to support someone out of their journey.”

The Community and Protective Services Committee will consider endorsing the agreement with Health Canada to fund services at The Commons on April 7.