Health Canada OKs 14th Supervised Consumption Site
"We are committed to working with all partners across the country to combat the overdose crisis. Supervised consumption sites are an important part of a comprehensive response," said Jane Philpott, Canada's minister of Health.
With two mobile sites added recently, the Canadian government has now authorized 14 supervised consumption sites in Canada to help address the opioid crisis. Health Canada as of July 19, 2017, has approved a total of 14 supervised consumption sites.
Bill C-37, which received Royal Assent on May 18, 2017, streamlines the application process for supervised consumption sites without compromising the health and safety of clients, staff, or the surrounding community, according to the agency.
The government says opioid overdoses are claiming the lives of thousands of Canadians annually, and the impact of the opioid crisis continues to be devastating to individuals, families and communities. The two exemptions approved by Health Canada are for British Columbia's Interior Health Authority to operate two new mobile supervised consumption sites in British Columbia, one in Kamloops and one in Kelowna. They will offer supervised injection services and will be more geographically flexible to better serve clients. They can also direct clients to complementary harm reduction services.
"We are committed to working with all partners across the country to combat the overdose crisis. Supervised consumption sites are an important part of a comprehensive response," said Jane Philpott, Canada's minister of Health. "I am pleased to see these exemptions approved for Kamloops and Kelowna, British Columbia so they now have additional tools to address the crisis and provide further support to those who need it."
For more information on what the government is doing to address the opioid crisis, visit Canada.ca/opioids.