St. Thomas city council debates supervised drug consumption site, mayor shows hesitancy

There were a combined 90 opioid-related deaths in 2021 and 2022, according to the Southwestern Public Health Unit, up from a combined 44 opioid-related deaths in 2019 and 2020.

As London, Ont., unveiled its first permanent consumption and treatment service last month, the neighbouring city of St. Thomas is still debating whether or not it should do the same.

City council met Monday evening to discuss the idea after the Southwestern Public Health Unit (SWPH) concluded its feasibility study to look at consumption and treatment services in the region.

The study, according to the health unit, will determine the need and support for and practicality of consumption and treatment services, like designated sites in St. Thomas, Elgin County and Oxford County.

Health officials said that while all information is recorded, the report will be published later this year and will include interviews with not only people who have experienced addiction, but also with business owners, health-care workers and community service providers.

During Monday’s council meeting, some councillors stressed that it’s a good idea to consider alternative options, but Mayor Joe Preston said he’s not sure if a consumption site is something the city really needs at this time.

“I think we need the ability to deal with addictions,” Preston told Global News. “I stress a little more on the detox and rehab portion of getting people off addictive drugs, perhaps more than the consumption site, or at least in conjunction with each other. I don’t think we can do one of those two things alone.”

He continued to say that the city has been “working exceptionally hard for the last three or four years to really put those detox and rehab services in place.”

“So, I’m not sure I want to get to say, ‘Let’s try a new solution’ before we’ve actually had the old solution in place for longer than a couple of days.”