The City of Ottawa is seeing an increase in reports of discarded needles and glass pipes this year, with thousands of items of drug paraphernalia being picked up by city staff and businesses during the first six months of the year. Statistics available on the Ottawa Public Health website show 21,371 needles and 19,619 glass pipes were picked up by Needle Hunters, city staff and residents and businesses between January and June. A total of 13,589 glass pipes and 11,641 needles were retrieved during the January-June period in 2025, and 14,577 glass pipes and 12,028 discarded needles were picked up during the same period in 2024. The health unit said 7,161 needles and 6,421 glass pipes were retrieved in May, while 6,632 needles and 5,450 glass pipes were picked up in June across the city. Needle Hunters, who collect and dispose of discarded drug paraphernalia in public spaces, have picked up the majority of the discarded drug needles and glass pipes. The Needle Hunters found 19,230 glass pipes and 18,429 needles during the January-June period this year, up from 13,046 glass pipes and 10,188 needles picked up in public spaces last year. According to the statistics, 15,116 glass pipes and 13,922 needles were retrieved in the Rideau-Vanier ward between Jan. 1 and June this year, while 5,023 needles and 4,156 glass pipes were retrieved in Somerset ward. Ottawa Public Health reports 1,506 needles and 216 glass pipes were picked up in Kitchissippi ward so far this year. Varying factors for increase: OPH The last supervised consumption sites in Ottawa closed in June following the provincial government’s decision to end funding for all sites across Ontario, shifting resources to abstinence-oriented treatment centres known as HART Hubs. The move has concerned some public health officials and advocates, who say the closure of supervised consumption sites could lead to an increase in overdose deaths and public drug consumption. At the Ottawa Board of Health meeting in June, Medical Officer of Health Dr. Trevor Arnason, referencing a memo issued by the city’s manager of community and social services, outlined the expected impacts the closure of supervised consumption sites could have. Arnason said the closures could increase visible drug use and discarded drug paraphernalia. “Clients are expected to face increased risk of overdose and related adverse health outcomes while creating additional pressures on emergency responders, hospitals and community health and social services,” Arnason told the board. “The closures may also contribute to increased visible drug use, public safety concerns, and discarded drug equipment, placing further strain on municipal services.” In a statement to CTV News Ottawa, the health unit says it is aware of an increase in improperly discarded needles and other drug use equipment being reported in the community, but said it is difficult to attribute the trend to any single reason. “The number of needles and pipes found in the community can be influenced by a variety of factors, including changes in consumption methods, reporting rates, public awareness, disposal practices, outreach efforts, and retrieval activities,” a spokesperson for Ottawa Public Health said in an email. “For this reason, the number of discarded items collected should not be viewed as a direct measure of substance use in Ottawa.” The health unit says the vast majority of drug use equipment is disposed of appropriately. “In 2025, more than two million needles were safely discarded through harm reduction agencies, needle drop boxes, and household hazardous waste programs,” the health unit said. These were the neighbourhoods with the highest number of drug paraphernalia picked up between January and June: Discarded needles Discarded glass pipes (Source: Ottawa Public Health) With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Dylan Dyson and Leah Larocque
