The Middlesex-London Health Unit is considering 120 York St. as the location for London's permanent safe consumption site.

The news comes less than a month after the health unit announced they had chosen 372 York St. for the site, pending federal approval.

"We're really happy to have multiple options to consider," said Dr. Chris Mackie, CEO and chief medical officer at the Middlesex-London Health Unit. (Paula Duhatschek/CBC)

Dr. Chris Mackie, London's medical officer of health, told CBC London that Farhi Holdings Corporation approached the health unit soon after they announced 372 York St. as the permanent location, offering up 120 York St. as "a really good fit" for the facility.

"We're really happy to have multiple options to consider, we haven't up to this point had more than one option, so it's a real positive from my perspective," said Mackie.

The federal exemption application for 372 York St. is still before Health Canada, said Mackie, adding that the city has a small window of time to change their application without delaying the federal approval process.

"It's closing very quickly, but we think there's a window to potentially change the location," said Mackie.

Community response

Some Londoners say they aren't happy about how quickly the health unit is moving.

At a community consultation Monday night, several attendees said they wanted to see more consultation before the city went ahead with the change. Others said outright that they preferred the location at 372 York St.

"I think it's a hasty decision on a move from a location at 372 to a location that's closer to large city investments such as the Bud, the market, Fanshawe college... It's not a good location," said Gerald Gallacher, a principal at Nicholson Sheffield Architects, who works 'about 50 metres away' from 120 York St.

Steve Cordes said he thinks London absolutely needs a safe consumption site, but thinks it might be better suited to the initial location at 372 York St. (Paula Duhatschek/CBC)

Steve Cordes, executive director of Youth Opportunities Unlimited, said that although Londoners understand the need for a supervised injection site, many of them won't be happy with the proposed location at York and Talbot.

Whether or not the injection site is actually unsafe, the perception of danger could still have a negative impact on downtown, he said.

"I want to ensure that we're creating a vibrant and a strong downtown," said Cordes.

Ali Soufan thinks a location further east makes more sense for a permanent safe consumption site. (Paula Duhatschek/CBC)

Ali Soufan, president of York Developments, called the area around Talbot, York, King and Dundas Streets the 'jewel' of downtown, and said a supervised consumption site at 120 York St. isn't a strategic move for the city.

"This service is not well suited for the grand development that local investors and developers and landlords and landowners anticipated when they planned for their megaprojects," Soufan said, adding that he thought the service would be better suited to an area further east.

Mackie: Consumption site to help, not hurt

"The research evidence is that it’s not a problem creator, it’s a problem solver," said Dr. Chris Mackie. (Paula Duhatschek/CBC)

In response to some concerns around public safety during the meeting, Mackie said he expects the consumption site to help the neighbourhood overall, rather than hurt it.

He said the site would come with a high degree of security, and a strong code of conduct for drug users—something that the public shouldn't scoff at.

"These clients are not stupid," said Mackie, who said drug users understand that if there are complaints around a consumption site, the site itself could be at risk.

The health unit also announced Monday that they may seek approval for a mobile site, depending on demand. There will still only be one permanent consumption site.

There will be a similar public consultation meeting this week for the 372 York St. location, the health unit said.