Timmins council to decide future of city's safe consumption site

Timmins to decide on safe consumption site Timmins city council will meet tomorrow to discuss the future of the city’s temporary safe consumption site.

Timmins city council meets Tuesday for the first time in more than a month.

Among the items on the agenda is the future of the temporary safe consumption site called Safe Health Site Timmins.

With no provincial funding yet available, the city must decide whether to make the site permanent and how to fund its operations. The temporary site opened in July.

The city agreed last year to provide $1 million for a temporary site, citing the urgent public health need in the face of the opioid crisis.

Should council vote to keep the site, it’s expected it will cost between $500,000 and $1 million before funding is provided from the province.

“The alternative is the location actually has to close its doors until we receive a response to our application and then actually receive the funding in our bank account,” said Mayor Michelle Boileau.

“As a council, we’re just hoping to be able to avoid … having to close the doors because every day that site is open means lives being saved. So it’s important that we look at what our options (are) in trying to ensure for a seamless transition into the permanent location program.”

So far, Safe Health Site Timmins has had more than 1,300 visits. Clients can also access basic medical care and receive referrals to treatment services.

It is currently funded by the city until June.