If you live in a neighbourhood where one of the 9 SCSs was forced to shut down, let your MPP know that you want the sites open. That you know you and your family and community are safer when people can safely use indoors, and stay alive. And tell people what Ford is doing. It’s never too late. /6

The province’s own commissioned reports stated SCSs improve health and safety for the whole community and in fact these services must be expanded, not shuttered. But this was never about safety, nor what actually works. It’s always been about ideology. This is a war on drug users and poor people. /5

Despite the court injunction that has struck down Ford’s 200m rule which claimed SCSs cannot be near schools and daycare centres, the sites will still close, because Ford has cleverly tied funding for agencies to the stipulation that they not provide safe consumption and needle distribution. /4

What greater health intervention is there than saving someone’s life? SCSs save lives, regularly. But that service is not valued if those lives are not valued. And now the workers are told to not use their lifesaving skills, to discard the hard won trust, and let people die. /3

The sites have become a safe haven for so many people who have been often rejected from much of society, including often the healthcare system. Here finally was a place where people could use drugs and be safe, where for once their lives were valued, where they mattered. /2

We are teaming up with @tngcommunityto.bsky.social to debrief and discuss any decisions that come from the Court today and tomorrow.

Join us for this virtual session at 12:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, March 26.

Register in advance here:
us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Applicants lawyer says that the correct question is whether Ontario’s law exacerbates risk to people who use drugs. The answer is yes, "unequivocally.”

#SaveOurSites #CTSontario #CTSsavesLives #CTScourtchallenge #SaveCTS #Ontario #ONpoli #SayYesToHealth

Nobody disagrees that it is safer to consume in a supervised consumption site. Only Drs Bayoumi and Werb assessed the impact of SCS on needle disposal and even crime in Ontario. Ontario was restricted to only criticizing these experts as they did not present anything to the contrary.

Applicants lawyers are now introducing their experts and evidence. Dr. Ahmed Bayoumi is well regarded by the Government itself. Dr. Dan Werb is also the PI of investigating impacts of SCS on people who use drugs in Ontario. Both are published in peer-reviewed journals.

We have prepared a backgrounder on this Charter Challenge, including a Glossary of Terms. Find it here:

www.hivlegalnetwork.ca/site/backgro...

#SaveOurSites #CTSontario #CTSsavesLives #CTScourtchallenge #SaveCTS #Ontario #ONpoli #SayYesToHealth

The Applicants lawyers note that Ontario can't prove an increase in crime around CTS locations because there is no evidence that crime has increased.

Applicants lawyers now focusing on the major harm to service users that would be caused by relocation. Even if possible, moving could make sites inaccessible to clients. 90% of clients are experiencing homelessness and can't just jump in a car to get to another CTS.

#SaveOurSites #CTSontario

Applicants lawyers are speaking to the difficulties of locating a CTS, noting the government invested significantly to hire six experts and 21 private investigators, but nothing to help impacted CTS find new locations.

Whoa I’d never heard of these folks. Such a cool sound!