Thunder Bay to look at feasibility of supervised safe injection site

published on February 4, 2016 by Leith Dunick in TB News Watch

In 2013, 29 people in Thunder Bay died because of drug and alcohol abuse.

With high levels of addiction in the city, it only makes sense to look at the feasibility of a local supervised safe injection site, said officials behind the launch of a study that will look into the possibility of bringing such a centre to Thunder Bay.

Starting next month surveyors will speak with stakeholders and up to 200 injection drug users to determine levels of use, the willingness to use such a site, community acceptance and site designs and location preferences.

The study, which will use paid peer researchers who have used injection drugs themselves, is set to begin next month. It will be overseen by UBC’s Thomas Kerr and the University of Toronto’s Sean Rourke. The program could serve as a model for other smaller communities across Canada.