Article content

London’s temporary overdose prevention site is officially an award-winning facility.

At the Pillar Nonprofit Network’s community innovation awards ceremony Thursday evening, the controversial site – which launched to help combat the opioid addiction crisis in the Forest City in February – was chosen as the winner among three nominees in the collaboration category.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Overdose prevention site wins community innovation award Back to video

It is a joint effort between the Community Drug and Alcohol Strategy, the Regional HIV AIDS Connection and the Middlesex London Health Unit.

Health Unit boss Chris Mackie had said in the runup to the awards that a win would “be like coming home. It would feel like we’re coming out of the wilderness.”

He had said the key to the site’s success is the “basic model of treating people who have been discarded by the system with respect.”