Region not asking province for consumption and treatment site funds
Posted Apr 24, 2025 04:25:14 AM.
Last Updated Apr 24, 2025 12:21:54 PM.
The Region of Waterloo will not be sending a letter to the province regarding the closure of the Consumption and Treatment Services site on Duke Street.
At a council meeting Wednesday night, a motion put forward by Councillor Pam Wolf was reworked to address concerns around the Community Care and Recovery Act but was still turned down.
The new motion looked to have the Region of Waterloo request that the province consider new supervised consumption services, preserve its funding for the new Homeless and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hubs, and fund harm reduction services in the future.
The original motion had asked for council to request “immediate funding and support to ensure continued operation of the Kitchener CTS site during the injunction period, in compliance with the court’s decision… and to allow the Regional Municipality of Waterloo to support and maintain CTS operations beyond the injunction period if necessary.”
When discussed at the committee level in early April, there was concern that asking for immediate funding for the closed CTS site could mean less funds for the new HART Hub on Francis.
“I am very angry at the thought that province would even ever try to punish the region and through it some of the most vulnerable citizens because we stand up for what we believe is right for our community,” said Wolf.
“We are in the middle of a drug poisoning crisis, and we require every tool available to control it.”
At the end of the nearly five-minute discussion by councillors on Wednesday, the reworked motion was turned down, with a vote of 8-6.
