Consumption and Treatment Services

Sep 20, 2022

Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS)* help save lives and create safer communities. They provide a clean, safe and non-judgmental space for people to use their own drugs under the care of medical and non-medical staff. As relationships are developed with clients they are offered referrals to primary care, treatment, and other health and social services.

*In Ontario, Supervised Consumption Sites (SCS) are referred to as Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS). These names refer to the same services and can be used interchangeably.

UPDATE:

Two separate applications were submitted, one to Health Canada (federal) and one to the Ministry of Health (MOH, provincial) on October 7, 2021, by CMHA Simcoe County Branch (CMHA SCB) as the applicant. The following information will provide you with the status of the two applications to date.

Health Canada:

We received communication from Health Canada on September 9, 2022, confirming that the exemption to section 56.1 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act has been granted.
This exemption is required to permit the use of illegal substances at a CTS. Receiving this exemption is the first step towards creating a CTS in Barrie.

Ministry of Health:

We are still awaiting approval of the operational application and operating budget by the Ministry of Health.
We are also required to complete a capital application to the Ministry of Health to fund the necessary site renovations, and this application is ready to submit if the operational application is approved.

The federal and provincial government review processes for both applications have been thorough in review of all elements, aspects, polices and procedures.

Although we have been granted the Health Canada exemption there are still outstanding application approvals and significant renovations to accomplish before a CTS service is established in Barrie. A CTS is still desperately needed in Barrie to prevent overdose deaths, to reduce public drug use and improperly discarded needles, and to help connect people who use drugs to other health and social services that they may want but have difficulty accessing, including mental health and addictions treatment, primary care, and housing.

Applying for an CTS in Barrie is just one example of the collaborative community work that is underway in the region to address opioid use and overdoses. See more community actions here.

Find out more about this application process

In the media

Barrie, Ont. supervised consumption site gets Health Canada approval – Barrie | Globalnews.ca

Barrie, Ont. supervised consumption site gets Health Canada approval (msn.com)

Health Canada gives nod of approval for safe consumption site plans in Barrie | CTV News