4/11/2012
A study by the University of Toronto, and St. Michael's Hospital, shows Toronto and Ottawa would both benefit from having safe injection sites.
The report recommends three sites in Toronto, and two in Ottawa, based on the fact that Toronto has the most drug users across the province, while the Capital has the highest HIV rate.
The study took place over the last four years, and has drawn criticism from a number of people, including Mayor Rob Ford and the former mayor of Ottawa.
Critics to the move fear the sites would draw drug users to the nearby locations from outside cities, while others say the sites need to be located in the proper area, as users don't like to travel to get to a site.
Deb Matthews, Minister of Health released the following statement following the release the study:
"We thank the researchers at the University of Toronto and staff at St. Michael's Hospital for their report on supervised drug injection sites.
We are always prepared to listen to good advice, and we make our decisions based on evidence.
Experts continue to be divided on the value of the sites.
We have no plans to pursue supervised sites at this time."
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