Ontario calls on Toronto to drop 'disastrous' drug decriminalization request

The province’s health minister and solicitor general are urging Toronto to rescind its request to decriminalize simple possession of small amounts of drugs for personal use, calling the proposal 'misguided' and 'disastrous.'

The province’s health minister and solicitor general are urging Toronto to rescind its request to decriminalize simple possession of small amounts of drugs for personal use, calling the proposal “misguided” and “disastrous.”

In a letter to Toronto’s outgoing Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa, Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones and the province’s Solicitor General Michael Kerzner said that “under no circumstances” would the provincial government support Toronto Public Health’s decriminalization application, which is currently under review by Health Canada.

“We read with interest recent comments in the media that Toronto Public Health has not received a ‘formal indication’ from the province opposing your misguided request to decriminalize dangerous illegal drugs,” the letter read.

“While our government has already been perfectly clear on multiple occasions, please consider this as formal as possible: Ontario is 100 per cent opposed to your proposal.”

The letter went on to suggest that such a policy would “add to crime and public drug use” while failing to support people with addiction.

The city made a request to Health Canada in early 2022 for an exemption under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. That application has come under a microscope in recent weeks after British Columbia opted to scale back its decriminalization pilot.

“We are frankly surprised that, in the aftermath of British Columbia’s decision to walk back its decriminalization experiment, Toronto Public Health has not already rescinded its request," the letter states.