Waterloo Region has gotten approval to open its first safe consumption site in Kitchener.

The approval comes from Health Canada for both an interim site and a permanent site on Duke Street.

Regional Councillor Elizabeth Clark says the temporary safe consumption site will be open within weeks.

"We are seeing lots of deaths. We are on track this year to exceed the number of overdose deaths that we saw even in 2017. So we all feel a great sense of urgency around this," Clarke says.

The region received approval on Friday and now they are waiting for provincial funding.

The interim site will not be getting any money from the province.

But the region is asking for $700,000 to $800,000 for the permanent site.

The temporary site will not be fully serviced and will mainly offer overdose prevention.

Clarke says it is still necessary to have a temporary safe place for addicts while construction begins on the permanent site.

The permanent site will likely open in several months.