HL10.1
STAFF REPORT
ACTION REQUIRED
Supervised Injection Services for Toronto: Next Steps
Date:

March 7, 2016

To:

Board of Health

From:

Medical Officer of Health

Wards:

All

Reference
Number:

SUMMARY
Injection drug use is associated with important health risks, including overdose and the
transmission of blood borne diseases such as HIV and hepatitis. Supervised injection
services have been implemented around the world to help reduce these and other health
harms.
A supervised injection service (SIS) is a health service that provides a safe and hygienic
environment where people can inject pre-obtained drugs under the supervision of trained
staff. In Canada, nurses provide this supervision. In addition to reducing overdoses and
the spread of infectious diseases they also increase access to other health and social
services, and reduce public drug use and discarded needles. In 2012, the Toronto and
Ottawa Supervised Consumption Assessment Study concluded that Toronto would benefit
from multiple SISs that are integrated into existing health services already serving people
who inject drugs. In 2013, the Board of Health approved a recommendation from the
Medical Officer of Health supporting implementation of this integrated SIS model in
Toronto.
Three health services in Toronto are planning to add small scale SIS to their existing
clinical services to improve health outcomes for clients. These agencies are Toronto
Public Health through The Works program, Queen West - Central Toronto Community
Health Centre, and South Riverdale Community Health Centre. These organizations are
well established in their communities and have been delivering harm reduction services
to people who inject drugs for many years. They currently serve clients with high rates of
injection drug use and associated high-risk behaviours (e.g., frequent injectors, incidence
of overdose, public injection).

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 The addition of supervised injection to existing services in all three organizations is
expected to improve health outcomes and reduce the community impact of injection drug
use.
This report outlines the process for SIS implementation and seeks BOH support to begin
stakeholder consultations, to meet federal requirements. Results of the consultations and
next steps for this initiative will be reported to the BOH in July 2016.

RECOMMENDATIONS
The Medical Officer of Health recommends that the Board of Health:
1. Direct the Medical Officer of Health to participate in a coordinated community
consultation with Queen West - Central Toronto Community Health Centre and South
Riverdale Community Health Centre on the integration of supervised injection
services into existing clinical health services; and,
2. Direct the Medical Officer of Health to report to the Board of Health at its July 2016
meeting on the outcome of community consultation and strategies that address any
concerns related to the implementation of supervised injection services.
Financial Impact
There are no financial impacts from this report.

DECISION HISTORY
At its meeting of October 24, 2005, the Board of Health approved the Toronto Drug
Strategy report and the recommendations for action contained therein, including a needs
assessment and feasibility study for supervised consumption sites.
http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/2005/minutes/committees/hl/hl051024.pdf
At its meeting of December 5, 6, and 7, 2005, Toronto City Council approved the
Toronto Drug Strategy report and the recommendations for action contained therein,
including a needs assessment and feasibility study for supervised consumption sites.
http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/2005/agendas/council/cc051205/cofa.pdf
On July 10, 2013, the BOH approved a report from the Medical Officer of Health
supporting implementation of supervised injection services in Toronto.
http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2013.HL23.1
On September, 2015 the BOH approved a report from the Medical Officer of Health on
trends, prevention and response for overdose in Toronto.
http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2015.HL6.4

ISSUE BACKGROUND
The Board of Health (BOH) and City Council approved the Toronto Drug Strategy (TDS)
in 2005. The TDS is a comprehensive municipal drug strategy based on the integrated
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 components of prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and enforcement. Among its 68
actions, the TDS recommended a needs assessment and feasibility study for supervised
consumption (injection and inhalation) services, taking into account the decentralized
nature of drug use in Toronto. An independent team of experts conducted this research
culminating in the release of the Toronto and Ottawa Supervised Consumption
Assessment Study (TOSCA) in April 2012.1 This study concluded that Toronto would
benefit from multiple supervised injection services that are integrated into existing health
services already serving people who inject drugs.
A supervised injection service (SIS) is a health service that provides a safe and hygienic
environment where people can inject pre-obtained drugs under the supervision of trained
staff. In Canada, nurses provide this supervision. The first SIS opened 30 years ago in
Bern, Switzerland. Today there are more than 90 SISs worldwide, in the Netherlands,
Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Luxembourg, Denmark, Norway, Australia and Canada.2
Supervised injection services are also being planned in France and Portugal. There are
two SISs in Canada, both in Vancouver. Insite, in the Downtown Eastside is operated by
the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, and the Dr. Peter Centre operates a small SIS
that is integrated into their multi-service HIV program. Health services in Montreal are
awaiting federal approval to implement multiple SISs. In Ontario, community health
services in Ottawa are considering implementing SIS, and needs assessments are
underway in London and Thunder Bay.
In addition to supervised injection, services at a SIS can include the provision of sterile
injection supplies, overdose prevention and intervention, education, medical and
counselling services, and referrals to drug treatment, housing, income support and other
services. The main goals of these health services are to reduce the spread of infectious
diseases such as HIV and hepatitis, reduce the number of drug overdoses, bring people
into contact with other health and social services, and reduce community issues such as
public drug use and discarded needles.3
International research on the impact and outcomes of SIS has demonstrated they are
beneficial for people using the service and the broader community. Specifically SISs:
 reduce overdose deaths and save lives;
 reduce behaviours that cause HIV and hepatitis C infection, such as the sharing of
previously used needles or other injection supplies;
 reduce unsafe injection practices;
 increase use of detox and addiction treatment services;
 are cost-effective;
 reduce public drug use;
 reduce the amounts of publicly discarded injection equipment;
 do not increase crime in the area surrounding a service.4
As concluded in the TOSCA study, there are sufficient conditions in Toronto to warrant
the establishment of SIS. Toronto-based research finds that 61% of people who injected
drugs in the six months prior to the study tested positive for hepatitis C, and 5% tested
positive for HIV.5 Between 2004 and 2013 there was a 41% increase in the reported
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 number of people dying from overdose in Toronto – from 146 in 2004 to 206 in 2013, the
highest annual number to date. Of particular concern is the increasing role of opioids,
such as heroin and fentanyl in these deaths.6 Research about injection drug users in
Toronto found that 8 out of 10 people reported injecting alone, and 29% reported having
an overdose in the six months prior to the study.7
There is a high demand for harm reduction services by people who inject drugs. Toronto
Public Health (TPH) and 47 community agencies provide harm reduction supply access
at over 80 service locations across the city. In 2015, there were 104,952 client visits to
these programs, and almost 1.9 million needles were distributed along with other sterile
injection supplies.
In July 2013, the BOH approved a recommendation from the Medical Officer of Health
urging the provincial government to fund the integration of SIS into existing provincially
funded clinical health services in Toronto, including funding for program evaluation. At
the same time, the TDS Implementation Panel, which is the leadership group for the drug
strategy, released a comprehensive toolkit to assist with effective implementation of SISs
in Toronto (available at www.tph.to/drugstrategy).
The purpose of this report is to inform the BOH that three health services in Toronto are
planning to add supervised injection to their existing clinical services for people who
inject drugs. This report outlines the process for SIS implementation, and seeks BOH
support to begin stakeholder consultations. Results of the consultations and next steps for
this initiative will be reported to the BOH in July 2016.

COMMENTS
Injection drug use is associated with important public health risks including overdose and
the transmission of blood borne diseases such as HIV and hepatitis. Supervised injection
services have been implemented in other jurisdictions to reduce these and other health
harms, and to help reduce the impact of open drug use on local communities.
Organizations planning to add supervised injection services
Three health services in Toronto are planning to add small scale SIS to their existing
clinical services to improve health outcomes for clients. These agencies are Toronto
Public Health through The Works program, Queen West - Central Toronto Community
Health Centre and South Riverdale Community Health Centre. Together these agencies
will provide SIS for the area of the city with the highest concentration of people who
inject drugs. The agencies are coordinating program and policy development to ensure
consistent and effective service delivery.
All three organizations are well established and have been delivering harm reduction
services to people who inject drugs for many years. Clinical and support services
available onsite include safer injection supplies, safer drug use education, overdose
prevention, HIV and hepatitis testing, primary health care (e.g., immunization, wound
care), opioid substitution treatment, counselling, and referrals to other health/social

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 services. At each agency, the SIS will be added within the existing program space. There
will be no visible change to the exterior of the premises.
Rationale for Service Locations
The three health services are in locations that have high rates of injection drug use and
associated high-risk behaviours (e.g., frequent injectors, incidence of overdose, public
injection) in their community and among their service users. Together, the three services
provide three quarters of the sterile needles distributed in Toronto. These agencies also
have a demonstrated capacity to provide health and social services and supports to people
who use drugs.
Specific indicators of local need are outlined below:
Toronto Public Health, The Works

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In 2015, The Works recorded almost 14,000 client visits and distributed over 800,000
needles along with other safer injection supplies.
A recent study of clients at The Works found that 21% of clients injected daily, and
16% injected regularly (once or twice a week) in the past month.8 The most
frequently injected drugs were Oxycontin/Oxycodone (56%), cocaine (55%), heroin
(49%), and morphine and crack cocaine (44%).9
Among clients of The Works, 36% reported injecting in public places (e.g.,
washrooms, alleyways) and 13% reported injecting “most often” in a public place in
the past six months.10
A recent evaluation of the Preventing Overdose in Toronto (POINT) program at The
Works found that almost one-third (28%) of participants had experienced an opioid
overdose.11
Clients of The Works participated in the TOSCA needs assessment study and clients
reported they wanted and would use an SIS.

South Riverdale Community Health Centre (SRCHC)

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In 2015, SRCHC provided services to over 3,000 unique individuals who use illicit
drugs. In 2015, there were over 22,000 client visits and over 320,000 sterile needles
were distributed.
A 2014 study of SRCHC harm reduction clients found that more than 1 in 10 had
experienced an overdose in the past six months.12
A 2012 study found that a significant number of SRCHC service users who inject
drugs inject in public. Almost a third of clients reported injecting in public in the
previous six months, and 9% said that they inject in public "most often."13
Compared to the city overall, there are disproportionately high numbers of people
who inject drugs within SRCHC’s catchment area, as well as higher rates of
emergency department visits due to opioid or cocaine use.14
SRCHC participated in the TOSCA needs assessment study and its service users
reported that they wanted and would use a SIS.

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 Queen West - Central Toronto Community Health Centre (QWCHC)

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Annually, QWCHC provides services to over 3,000 individuals who use drugs.
In 2015, there were almost 10,000 visits to the QWCHC fixed-site needle distribution
program and over 5,000 street outreach contacts with almost 300,000 needles
distributed.
Compared to the city overall, there are disproportionately high numbers of people
who inject drugs within QWCHC’s catchment area, as well as higher rates of
emergency department visits associated with drug use.15
A 2012 study found that a significant number of QWCHC clients are injecting in
public.16 Over a third of clients reported public injecting in public in the previous six
months, and 15% said that they inject in public “most often.”17
Almost a third of clients reported injecting every day, and 29% reported injecting
regularly (from one to three or more times a week).18
Queen West - Central Toronto clients participated in the TOSCA needs assessment
study and reported that they wanted and would use a SIS.19

The integrated program model
There are different SIS program models around the world, including standalone services,
mobile services and services that are integrated into multi-service health settings. For
Toronto, the TOSCA study recommended the integration of SIS with fixed site (as
opposed to mobile) health services that are already serving people who inject drugs. This
program model was endorsed by the Board of Health in July 2013. Health Canada also
supported this integrated approach when it granted the Dr. Peter Centre in Vancouver
federal approval to operate in January 2016.
Adding supervised injection to the existing clinical services being provided to people
who inject drugs helps ensure that a continuum of health interventions are available for
this vulnerable group. The SISs in Toronto will operate in this way. Clients will arrive at
the program with their pre-obtained drugs. Appropriate waiting areas will be available.
Each person will be assessed to ensure they are eligible for the program. The clients will
then be brought into the SIS room where they will receive sterile injecting equipment and
instruction on safer injecting practices. A nurse will supervise the injection and provide
medical assistance, as necessary. Once the individual has completed their injection they
will be directed to another room where they continue to be monitored for any negative
drug reactions. They will also receive information and referrals for other harm reduction,
health and social services.
Providing a sterile and safe place to inject at a needle distribution program is important
because often when people have obtained their injection supplies they want to inject right
away. Providing SIS onsite also eliminates the potential for people to use nearby public
spaces to inject (e.g., washrooms, alleyways, stairwells). In that regard, supervised
injection is beneficial for the community as well as for the individual.
The College of Nurses of Ontario has confirmed that the activities associated with
supervised injection – establishing a therapeutic nurse-client relationship, assessment and

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 management of health care needs, health teaching, disease prevention and health
promotion – fall within nursing’s scope of practice.
It is expected that the majority of people accessing the SIS will be current clients of
existing harm reduction programs. The SIS may also serve people in the area who are not
using these services providing an opportunity for staff to engage with them and link them
to other health services. When establishing a new SIS there are sometimes concerns that
it will attract people from other parts of the city. However, research has shown that
individuals will only travel short distances to use this service. The TOSCA study found
that in Toronto, about half of people who inject drugs surveyed said they would not travel
more than 10 blocks to use a SIS.20
As with any health service, program evaluation will be an important component of SIS
implementation, and all three agencies will develop evaluation plans as part of their
commitment to ongoing quality assurance.
Requirements to implement supervised injection services
In Canada, the legal operation of an SIS requires an exemption under section 56 of the
Controlled Drugs & Substances Act (CDSA), which is granted by the federal Minister of
Health. Without an exemption staff and clients of the service are subject to criminal laws
that prohibit the possession and trafficking of controlled substances such as heroin and
cocaine.
In June 2015, the federal government passed into law the Respect for Communities Act,
which sets out extensive criteria for exemption applications, including the following:
 scientific evidence supporting the need for SIS generally as well as the need in their
specific area (e.g., data on drug use, infectious disease rates and other risk factors,
rates of overdose, crime statistics, drug-related litter, where available);
 detailed site plans, including security measures;
 detailed operational policies and procedures (e.g., clinical protocols, staff roles and
responsibilities, guidelines, safe disposal of drug use supplies, safety measures,
information management);
 financial plan;
 links with drug treatment services;
 letters of opinion by a range of stakeholders, including provincial Ministers of Health
and Public Safety, Chief Medical Officer of Health, local government, Chief of
Police, professional colleges for physicians and nurses, and measures to address any
concerns raised; and,
 results of consultations with a range of community groups such as residents and
business associations, schools, churches, etc., including measures to address any
concerns raised.
Toronto Public Health (The Works), Queen West - Central Toronto Community Health
Centre and South Riverdale Community Health Centre are in the process of developing
Section 56 exemption applications. The intention is to submit the three applications
together to Health Canada in fall 2016. Each agency will operate independently, but they
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 are working together to coordinate efforts and operational details for the services and will
emphasize this collaborative approach in their federal submission.
Funding for supervised injection services at Toronto Public Health will be sought from
the Ministry of Health and Long-Term care.
Stakeholder consultation
The Section 56 exemption application process requires community consultation in the
area where the SIS will be located. Engaging with the community when establishing
programs such as SIS is an important part of ensuring effective services. Consultation
provides an opportunity to present accurate information about how the service will work
as well as to hear and respond to any community concerns. The Supervised Injection
Services Toolkit, developed by the TDS Implementation Panel, supports a community
engagement process that includes local community and other stakeholders in the city to
ensure effective implementation. Community engagement strategies include consulting
with local residents, businesses and other key stakeholders, and establishing a community
reference group for ongoing communication and to ensure a mechanism is in place to
address any issues that may emerge over the longer term.
Toronto Public Health, Queen West - Central Toronto Community Health Centre and
South Riverdale Community Health Centre are each responsible for consulting with
relevant stakeholders in their communities. However, the agencies will work together to
ensure a consistent approach. Each of the ward Councillors will also be involved in the
development of the consultation plan for their area. An external group with expertise in
community engagement will be hired to conduct local town halls and focus groups for the
three area consultations, and will host an online survey as an additional mechanism for
community input. The consultation process will also be used to solicit participation in an
ongoing community reference group for each program area. A report summarizing
community input will be submitted to the July 2016 BOH meeting, along with details
about next steps in the SIS implementation process.
It is therefore recommended that TPH participate in a coordinated community
consultation with Queen West - Central Toronto Community Health Centre and South
Riverdale Community Health Centre on the integration of supervised injection services
into existing clinical health services. And further, that TPH report to the Board of Health
at its July 2016 meeting on the outcome of the community consultation and strategies that
address any identified concerns.
Supervised injection within the broader response to drug use in Toronto
The TOSCA study recommended that implementation of SISs be considered within the
context of a comprehensive drug strategy. The Toronto Drug Strategy provides a
comprehensive municipal action plan for alcohol and other drug use in this city. Under
the strategy, action is being taken across the areas of prevention, harm reduction,
treatment and enforcement, the details of which are outlined in a biennial status report
available at www.tph.to/drugstrategy.

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 There are many organizations across the city, including Toronto Public Health, delivering
a broad range of services to reduce the harms of substance use. Supervised injection
services will not eliminate harmful drug use, but they are one part of a continuum of
strategies to reduce harm and improve health outcomes. The agencies planning to add
supervised injection are committed to working with other organizations across the service
system to ensure coordinated and effective care for their clients. All three organizations
have a long history of collaborative partnerships with a broad diversity of service
providers that will provide a strong foundation for this work.

CONTACT
Jann Houston
Director, Strategic Support
Toronto Public Health
Phone: 416-338-2074
Email: jhouston@toronto.ca

Susan Shepherd
Manager, Toronto Drug Strategy Secretariat
Toronto Public Health
Phone: 416-338-0923
Email: sshephe1@toronto.ca

SIGNATURE

______________________________
Dr. David McKeown
Medical Officer of Health

References
1

Bayoumi, A., Strike, C. et al. (2012). Report of the Toronto and Ottawa Supervised
Consumption Assessment Study. Toronto: ON.
2
Global Platform for Drug Consumption Rooms, retrieved from
www.salledeconsommation.fr on February 11, 2016.
3
Fischer, B., Rehm, J., Kim, G., Robins, A. (2002) Safer injection facilities (SIFs) for
injection drug users (IDUs) in Canada, Canadian Journal of Public Health, 93 (5), 336338.
4
See research summary in Toronto Drug Strategy Implementation Panel (2013).
Supervised Injection Services Toolkit. Toronto: ON.
5
Challacombe, L. et al. (2013) Toronto I-Track Report. Enhanced Surveillance of Risk
Behaviours and Prevalence of HIV and Hepatitis C Among People Who Inject Drugs.
University of Toronto. Toronto: ON.
6
Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario, 2015.
7
Public Health Agency of Canada (2006). I-Track: Enhanced Surveillance of Risk
Behaviours among People who Inject Drugs. Phase I Report. Public Health Agency of
Canada.

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 8

Challacombe, L. et al., 2013
Challacombe, L. et al., 2013
10
Challacombe, L. et al., 2013
11
Leece, P. et al. (January 25, 2016) Process Evaluation of Preventing Overdose in
Toronto (POINT) Program.
12
Gender & Drug Use Study. COUNTERfit Harm Reduction Program. South Riverdale
Community Health Centre & The Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of
Toronto. Toronto: September 2014.
13
Challacombe L and Millson P. (2012). Toronto I-Track Report. South Riverdale
Community Health Centre Site Report. Public Health Agency of Canada, March 2012.
14
Supplemental data based on the TOSCA study, provided as a personal communication,
May 2014, by A. Bayoumi. Derived using geographic data for the years 2004-2008,
using multiple administrative health databases including: National Ambulatory Care
Reporting System, Discharge Abstract Database, Ontario Public Drugs Benefit Program,
and physician billing claims.
15
Supplemental data based on the TOSCA study, provided as a personal communication,
May 2014, by A. Bayoumi. Derived using geographic data for the years 2004-2008,
using multiple administrative health databases including: National Ambulatory Care
Reporting System, Discharge Abstract Database, Ontario Public Drugs Benefit Program,
and physician billing claims.
16
Challacombe L and Millson P. 2012. Toronto I-Track Report. Queen West - Central
Toronto Central Toronto Community Health Centre Site Report. Public Health Agency of
Canada, March 2012.
17
Challacombe and Millson, 2012. Queen West - Central Toronto Central Toronto
Community Health Centre Site Report.
18
Challacombe and Millson, 2012. Queen West - Central Toronto Central Toronto
Community Health Centre Site Report.
19
Bayoumi, et al., 2012
20
Bayoumi et al., 2012
9

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