Federal exemption granted to operate Greater Sudbury’s supervised consumption site
Original issued by Réseau ACCESS Network
Today, the Community Drug Strategy for the City of Greater Sudbury announced that Health Canada has granted a federal exemption under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to operate a new supervised consumption site at the Réseau ACCESS Network – 24 Energy Court site in Greater Sudbury.
“This is a significant milestone for Sudbury’s community, knowing that this site will soon be up and running,” said Heidi Eisenhauer, Executive Director of Réseau ACCESS Network. “We know that sites like these save lives, and that they are one of the necessary interventions in our current overdose crisis.”
Community Drug Strategy Co-Chairs, Dr. Penny Sutcliffe and Chief Paul Pedersen shared their support and acknowledgement of the multi-team effort to reach this milestone. “Establishing this site is a response to a local call to action. We heard, we listened, and we are grateful that the doors to this service will soon be open,” said Paul Pedersen, Chief, Greater Sudbury Police Services.
Réseau ACCESS Network is currently in the process of recruiting health care professionals, namely nurses or primary care paramedics, to meet the minimum staffing requirements to open and begin offering services. Once staff is hired, the 24 Energy Court site will be operational with intended service hours from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., 365 days a year.
“It is wonderful to see our community partners another step closer to opening,” said the Mayor of Greater Sudbury. “City Council moved this project forward quickly, and staff worked hard to prepare the site so our partners can better reach those who use substances and connect them with health and social services. I have no doubt these services will help address the effects of the opioid crisis in Greater Sudbury and save lives.”
Supervised consumption sites are spaces where people can consume their own pre-obtained drugs under the supervision of trained staff in a safe and non-judgmental environment. People are provided with safer drug use equipment and can also receive medical care and referrals to other health and social services.
Given the rise in opioid-related overdoses and the poisoned drug crisis, supervised consumption sites have been shown to reduce overdoses, infections, and deaths related to drug use. In other communities, these services have been beneficial in referring clients to essential services like housing, mental health care, and treatment options.
Some benefits seen from other supervised consumption sites include:
- reduced risk of accidental overdose, because people are not using substances alone;
- connecting people who use substances to crucial health and social services, such as housing, employment, and food bank services; and
- reduces drug use in public spaces while reducing amounts of discarded substance-related equipment (for example, needles).
Services offered by the supervised consumption site include sterile supplies for substance use and supportive spaces for substance consumption, peer support, and access and/or referral to health and social services.
The feasibility of establishing a supervised consumption site was extensively explored, including an 11-month community consultation and data analysis—the Needs Assessment and Feasibility study. This is a required step in seeking a federal exemption under Health Canada’s Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. The federal exemption is the final element required to complete the provincial application for a funded supervised consumption and treatment site.
Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, Public Health Sudbury & Districts Medical Officer of Health and co-chair of the Community Drug Strategy thanked all community stakeholders, noting, “While we still have a long way to go in addressing harms related to substance use, we are grateful for all the hard work from citizens and community partners to help us get here today. Supervised consumption sites are an important part of a multiprong approach to addressing the local drug poisoning tragedy.”
For more information on supervised consumption sites, please visit the Community Drug Strategy’s website at www.phsd.ca/cds or call Réseau ACCESS Network at 705.885.0500.
This item was last modified on May 6, 2024
Public Health Sudbury & Districts salary disclosure
The 2021 salary disclosure data released today paints a stark picture of the human and financial toll of the Public Health response to the unprecedented global public health emergency. The salary disclosure data complements Public Health Sudbury & District’s 2021 COVID-19 Response by the Numbers report, which describes the significant volume and scope of the agency’s pandemic actions.
In 2021, Public Health employees were required to work a total of 61 559 hours of overtime (the workload equivalent of almost 34 full time positions) under intensely stressful and constantly changing conditions. Long hours, reassignments, seven-day multi-shift work weeks, cancelled vacations, and significant and longstanding overtime have stretched and tested everyone’s resilience. Today’s salary disclosure reflects this workload and includes 60 Public Health employees for 2021 as compared with 28 in 2020, and 9 in 2019.
“The COVID-19 pandemic response required our Public Health team to work at unprecedented levels. The work demands have been relentless, at great intensity and with much stress. Public Health staff have stepped up with unwavering commitment, but at great personal sacrifice including costs to personal mental health and well-being,” said René Lapierre, Chair, Board of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts. “They cannot get their time back with their families, but the salaries earned over the pandemic are some recognition of the absolute dedication of the team, including our Medical Officer of Health, to support the health of our communities when they needed us the most,” added Lapierre.
In addition to requiring overtime, Public Health recruited additional staff to respond to the demands, called on other public health units and the provincial workforce, in addition to seeking much valued support from local volunteers, community agencies, and municipal partners and their staff. Although recruitment efforts allowed Public Health to increase its staffing complement, recruitment has not been possible for many essential public health professionals. This is due to the shortage of public health professionals combined with the acute need to fill gaps across all of Ontario’s 34 local public health units. By the end of 2021, 563 staff were employed by the agency, as compared with 217 pre-pandemic (full-time, part-time, and casual).
“We have been searching to recruit an Associate Medical Officer of Health for some time now, and this position has been vacant for the duration of the pandemic. Our Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, has been our unfaltering leader throughout this emergency, herself having worked the equivalent of well over two positions for two years,” said Lapierre. “Dr. Sutcliffe’s salary disclosure includes these facts, but also includes additional hours from 2020 that were not paid out until 2021. Of Dr. Sutcliffe’s disclosure, $219,000 is related to overtime worked in 2020, but not paid until 2021 and a further $263,000 is related to overtime worked and paid in 2021.”
In accordance with the Public Sector Salary Disclosure Act 1996 (Ontario Government), the Board of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts discloses the names, positions, salaries, and total taxable benefits of employees paid $100,000 or more in the previous year. Salary disclosure details for Public Health Sudbury & Districts employees subject of the Act are now available online.
The Ministry of Health reimburses boards of health at 100% for COVID-19 extraordinary costs. All 2020 and 2021 COVID-19 extraordinary costs such as staff wages and overtime, space rental supplies and equipment, communications, etc. have been funded by the provincial government. Municipal levies have not been impacted.
In collaboration with provincial and local partners, Public Health’s pandemic response activities are aimed at controlling and reducing COVID-19 transmission, and preventing outbreaks, severe disease, hospitalizations, and deaths. The 2021 COVID-19 Response by the Numbers report demonstrates the agency’s ongoing responsibilities and transparency to stakeholders, clients, and community members by showcasing key activities and indicators of success.
To learn more about Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ COVID-19 response as well as the agency’s pandemic recovery plan, please visit www.phsd.ca or call 705.522.9200 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200).
This item was last modified on March 25, 2022