Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS)* help save lives and create safer communities. They provide a clean, safe, and non-judgemental space for people to use their own drugs under the care of health care and non-health care staff. As relationships are developed with clients, they are offered referrals to primary care, mental health and addictions treatment, and other health and social services. A CTS would also help to reduce public drug use and improperly discarded needles. For all of these reasons, a CTS is desperately needed in the city of Barrie.
The National Overdose Response Services (NORS) is an overdose prevention hotline for Canadians, providing compassionate, confidential, and nonjudgmental support for people, whenever and wherever they use drugs. If using drugs alone, call or text (Canada only) 1-888-688-6677 (NORS).
Learn how you can help friends and family who use substances stay safe when using drugs by watching this video created by the Canadian Association of People Who Use Drugs (CAPUD): How to Spot Someone so They Never Use Alone.
Many communities throughout the country operate supervised consumption sites (known in Ontario as Consumption and Treatment Services). Learn more about these sites across Canada by visiting the Health Canada Infobase-supervised consumption sites.
Recent Update: On Wednesday October 4, 2023, the Ontario Associate Minister for Mental Health and Addictions announced that the province has paused approving new consumption and treatment sites while a review of all current sites is underway.
Learn more about the steps to providing this health service below.
CTS Application Status
Two separate applications were submitted, one to Health Canada (federal) and one to the Ministry of Health (MOH, provincial) on October 7, 2021, by CMHA Simcoe County Branch (CMHA SCB) as the applicant. The following information will provide you with the status of the two applications to date.
For more information on opioids or supervised consumption sites call Health Connection 705-721-7520 or toll-free 1-877-721-7520.