Regional Council delays decision in fear of Province
April 15th 2025
On April 8, a motion was put forward to the Regional Council to a) request that Province comply with the CTS injunction and b) request permission to support a consumption service in Waterloo region. Despite the Court injunction, the province has shut down the Kitchener site.
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The WR DAT delegated, along with others, all in support of the motion. However, Councilors expressed fear of provincial retribution - particularly withdrawal of HART hub funding - at any hint of supporting or even mentioning consumption services. The motion was deferred until April 23. We expect to see a politically sanitized version to appear, stripping the motion of meaning.
The WR DAT wrote a letter - our 2nd in 2 weeks - after that meeting to area MPPs and Ministers seeking clarity on the fears expressed by Regional councilors. The province has not responded to our 1st letter.
We encourage the public to come to Regional Council on April 23 at 7pm to see how fear and loathing in Waterloo region plays out. Read our letter to MPPs and the media coverage from the April 8th meeting below.
WR DAT urges local elected officials
March 31st 2025
Waterloo Region Drug Action Team has written two letters requesting urgent support in an effort to honour Friday's injunction granted by the Ontario Superior Court. As you may recall, one of the applicants on the challenge relies on the Kitchener CTS, but will experience no relief with its closure tomorrow. The first letter appeals to the province for continuation of service during the period of the injunction. The second letter appeals to the Regional Municipality of Waterloo to: a) request the province comply with the injunction and b) requests approval of the province as per S.3 of the Community Care and Recovery Act for the municipality to provide direct support for continuation of the CTS site in the event the province remains unwilling.
WR DAT goes to Ontario Superior Court
March 28th 2025
A number of groups including the Waterloo Region Drug Action Team took the province to Ontario Superior Court this month. As interveners we challenged the new "Community Care and Recovery Act" imposed last year to force the closure of 10 safe consumption sites across Ontario. Please read our summary to understand what happened and for the future of safe consumptions sites in our region.
Everyday Politics with Laura Mae Lindo
Oct 16th 2024
Featuring two excellent episodes on the deadly and dogmatic provincial plan to defund supervised consumption services, including Waterloo region’s exemplary - and only - Consumption and Treatment Service. Segment one is a conversation with Sara Escobar and Michael Parkinson of the WR DAT, and segment two is with Regional Councillor Rob Deutschmann. Worth watching, worth sharing!
Media Release
Sept 30th 2024
A motion requesting the Province cease defunding the only Consumption and Treatment Service (CTS) site in Waterloo region will be considered by Kitchener Councillors on Monday, September 30,
at 7pm.
The WR DAT will be delegating to Council in support of the motion, and encouraging the Region of Waterloo to fund the establishment of an alternate consumption service via Health Canada’s Urgent Public Health Needs Site (UPHNS) option.
Response Letter about De Facto Decrim
March 3rd 2023
On January 26th 2023, the Chief of Police, Mark Crowell, responded to the Drug Action Team letter and presentation on De Facto Decriminalization here in Waterloo Region.
On March 3rd 2023, The Drug Action Team replied to the Chief of Police with the following letter.
De Facto Decriminalization of Simple Possession: A cost-saving policy change for The Region of Waterloo
December 15th 2022
Waterloo Regional Council received this letter from the Drug Action Team
The Drug Action Team presented to Regional Council during their Budget Meeting on January 18th 2023
(Presentation starts at 9:20)
Decriminalization Delegation
May 25th 2022
Waterloo Region Integrated Drug Strategy (WRIDS) suggested decriminalization to Regional Council. The Drug Action Team delegated to Regional Council about the urgent need to decriminalize simple possession in Waterloo Region.
The WRIDS and Public Health sent a advocacy letters to the Provincial and Federal government.
Delegation starts at 20:08
Issues of Substance: Policy Debrief
March 20th 2022
Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council has endorsed "legalization with strict regulation" as the best drug policy option to immediately and dramatically improve health and safety for all residents of Canada, prevent tens of thousands of drug poisoning deaths and injuries annually, and, provide financial savings to the public, non-profit, and private sector budgets.
The DAT gives a free webinar on the Issues of Substance Report
(Re)thinking Drug Prohibition
March 14, 2022
Panel discussion:
Criminalizing certain drugs – and certain people – fuels inequities, kills and injures thousands of people, and remains a clear structural barrier to improved individual and community health, safety and well-being. There are alternatives to prohibition underway in Canada today. Prohibition, decriminalization, and legalization with strict regulation remain the key policy options in the midst of the worst poisoning crisis in Canadian history.
Natasha Touesnard, Canadian Association of People Who Use Drugs
Sandra Ka Hon Chu , Canadian HIV/Aids Legal Network, and
Alicia Neufeld, City of Toronto Public Health
(Un)Safe Research
April 20th 2021
In 2020, 43 people living in Waterloo Region who regularly purchase and consume drugs from the unregulated market and who lack stable housing were surveyed. People were asked about crime
and victimization, housing and shelter, and issues related to their acquisition, consumption, and criminalization of unregulated substances. Participants were asked about the current
criminalized model and a legal model known as ‘safe supply'.
The local research suggests that removing criminalization and replacing the toxic, unregulated market through ‘safe supply’ initiatives can provide immediate and cost-effective benefits for individuals, communities, not-for-profit, public, and private sectors.
Focus Group on Safer Supply
September 2019
A focus group with people living in Kitchener who use opioids from the unregulated market discuss the impacts of "safe supply" and different delivery and operational designs. Safe Supply is any initiative that provides pharmaceutical equivalents to the contaminated substances from the unregulated market such as opioids, stimulants, and benzodiazepines.
