A decision on whether to authorize a supervised injection site in Hamilton's core is expected to be made Dec. 4 by the Board of Health.

The proposed site would be located somewhere between Main Street East and Barton Street East and bordered by Queen Street North and Wellington Street North.

"It's high time we tried to get these injection issues out of the alleyways and the railway lines and make sure people who are doing drugs, do it safely," said Mayor Fred Eisenberger. "People are drug addicted and that's just the reality. Turning our mind away from that or sticking our head in the sand is delusional."

While the city is considering one site in an "inner city location where the need is highest," Eisenberger expects more will follow.

"That's the first location," said Eisenberger. "We'd be considering, although not advocating at this point, other potential locations depending on how this all works out. This is really the start."

A needs assessment and feasibility study done by Public Health Services over the last six months will be released in the afternoon of Nov. 29.

"I'm very supportive," said Eisenberger. "I'm hopeful council will accept this notion that this is going to be a positive thing, not a negative thing. We're not in any way shape or form encouraging people to use drugs. What we are encouraging, is to do it safely and not do more harm than necessary."

If council authorizes a supervised injection site, or SIS, community agencies could go ahead and make proposals to the federal and provincial governments.

Health Canada must provide an exemption from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act for a site to operate. It amended Bill C-37 in May to streamline the application process because safe injection sites are considered a key component to battling the country's increasing opioid overdose crisis.

Ontario's Ministry of Health provides the funding for the sites and has so far earmarked about $4 million for four sites in Toronto and $2 million for three sites in Ottawa.

"The primary argument for the sites is that they save lives and there is no shortage of evidence," said Ward 1 Coun. Aidan Johnson. "The argument for the sites is very strong."

He believes there is also a constitutional obligation to authorize the sites under the right to security of the person.

"The constitutional rights of marginalized people matter a lot," said Johnson. "The clients who would be using a safe site are among the most marginalized people in Hamilton. The fact they are addicted to the most lethal drugs is an extra layer of marginalization. These are among the most vulnerable people in our community."

The opioid crisis has hit Hamilton particularly hard. Since January 10, paramedics have been called to more than 360 suspected opioid overdoses in Hamilton which is more than one a day. A high number are in the area identified for the supervised injection site.

In 2016, there were at least 52 deaths from opioid toxicity in Hamilton, which is a death rate 48 per cent higher than the provincial average.

"We've seen a dramatic increase," said Debbie Bang of Womankind Addiction Service and Men's Addiction Service Hamilton at St. Joseph's Healthcare. "Hamilton in particular, specifically around opioids, is a hot spot in the province."

Opioid addiction accounted for about 1 per cent of clients when she started tracking the reason for admission 16 years ago. Now it is about 30 per cent for both men and women.

"There's strong evidence to support SIS programs for opioids that are based on very positive outcomes in terms of saving lives, reaching some level of recovery and gaining back some sort of life which includes relationships, jobs and meaningful activities," said Bang. "SIS' are a component of keeping people alive. If I'm alive, I have an opportunity to make decisions about how I might stop using. But if I'm not alive I can't do any of that."

The sites are particularly important at a time when users often don't know if their drugs are laced with opioids, particularly Fentanyl, or at what dose.

They can take their pre-obtained drugs and use them under the supervision of trained staff at the sites. The aim is to prevent overdose death and disability, stop the spread of infectious disease among those injecting drugs, reduce drug use and litter in public places and connect drug users with treatment services.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

"Where people are using drugs, the makeup of which they are not certain, it's really a good opportunity to have them observed," said Walter Cavalieri, director of the Canadian Harm Reduction Network. "They have the opportunity when they are there to talk with a worker who might be able to give them some advice or recommendations for services. Give them some friendship and help them to get a connection with another human being who is healthy."

For any opposed to having a supervised injection site in their community, Cavalieri says it will likely make their neighbourhood safer.

"People are not going to go over there to destroy the neighbourhood, they are people who are already in the neighbourhood," he said. "People don't travel more than three or four blocks to use the safe injection site.