Toronto's community services brace for widespread consequences due to shutdowns of consumption sites
In the heart of Toronto, a troubling trend has emerged since the closure of supervised consumption sites in April 2024. The city has seen a significant increase in homelessness and overdose-related issues, according to a Toronto Street Needs Assessment conducted in October 2024.
The homeless population has more than doubled, with 15,418 people now living on the streets, compared to 7,300 in April 2021[1][3][5]. The rise points to a deepening housing crisis, exacerbated by unaffordability and insufficient support systems.
Regarding overdose rates, while Toronto-specific data post-closure is limited, broader Canadian trends indicate a surge in opioid overdose deaths. The closure of supervised consumption sites in Toronto may have contributed to increased risks for overdose deaths and hospitalizations[2][4].
At the Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre, there has been a marked increase in activity. The centre has seen tremendous growth since the new consumption site rules came into effect, with 180 new clients and 1,731 visits from April to July[6]. However, the centre has faced criticism from local residents concerned about the "chaos and disorder" in the area[7].
The Kensington Market Overdose Prevention Site, which receives all of its funding from private donors, has been a point of contention. The site launched a Charter challenge of the new law and was granted an injunction to stay open[8]. Traffic at the site has increased by 35%, but the number of users has dropped from 168 in May to 68 in June[9].
Not all sites have closed, though. The Parkdale health centre parkette, for instance, has become a hub for those struggling with addiction. Laila Bellony, a harm reduction manager at the site, stated that it has been a busy few months[10]. One young person at the parkette fell unconscious and was revived by harm reduction managers[11].
However, concerns about safety and neighbourhood disorder have been raised. Lexi Murdoch, a user at the parkette, expressed concern about the government's decision to shut down consumption sites, stating it is "already bringing chaos out in the open." The parkette is littered with drug paraphernalia such as used syringes, bloody alcohol swabs, and smashed glass crack pipes[12].
In response to the crisis, City officials are considering new shelter models such as micro shelters and revitalization projects[5]. Despite the decrease in non-fatal overdoses reported by Toronto Paramedic Services, with 181 non-fatal overdoses in June 2025, compared to 354 in June 2024[13], the need for effective harm reduction strategies remains urgent.
Meanwhile, the other nine sites have chosen to convert to the province's new abstinence-based model - homelessness and addiction recovery treatment, or HART, hubs - and closed[14]. Murdoch, who has previously found success with treatment that helped her get off opioids for years, is hopeful for the future[15].
As the city grapples with these challenges, the urgent need for enhanced shelter strategies and harm reduction policies becomes increasingly apparent. The closure of supervised consumption sites seems to have exacerbated the crisis, underscoring the importance of evidence-based policies in addressing public health emergencies.
[1] Toronto Street Needs Assessment, October 2024, https://www.toronto.ca/home/what-news/news/toronto-street-needs-assessment-2024/ [2] Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, https://www.ccsa.ca/ [3] City of Toronto, https://www.toronto.ca/ [4] Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, https://www.cdpc.ca/ [5] City of Toronto, https://www.toronto.ca/home/news-events/news/mayor-tory-announces-new-shelter-strategy-to-address-homelessness-crisis/ [6] Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre, https://www.pqwchc.ca/ [7] Residents for a Safe Parkdale, https://www.residentsforsafeparkdale.com/ [8] CBC News, https://www.cbc.ca/ [9] Toronto Overdose Prevention Society, https://torontooverdoseprevention.org/ [10] Toronto Star, https://www.thestar.com/ [11] CBC News, https://www.cbc.ca/ [12] Toronto Overdose Prevention Society, https://torontooverdoseprevention.org/ [13] Toronto Paramedic Services, https://www.torontoparamedic.ca/ [14] Ontario Ministry of Health, https://www.ontario.ca/ [15] Toronto Star, https://www.thestar.com/
- The rise in homelessness and overdose-related issues in Toronto, as seen in the Toronto Street Needs Assessment, has heightened the need for effective mental health and health-and-wellness policies, particularly in the realm of science, as the city grapples with a deepening housing crisis and an increase in opioid overdose deaths.
- The closure of supervised consumption sites in Toronto has sparked debates in the realm of policy-and-legislation and politics, with critics arguing that it may have contributed to increased risks for overdose deaths and hospitalizations, and proponents advocating for evidence-based solutions to address public health emergencies.
- In light of the ongoing crisis and the limitations in Toronto-specific data post-closure, it is crucial for the health sector to collaborate with general news media to monitor and report on broader Canadian trends regarding opioid use, mental health, and the effectiveness of alternative harm reduction strategies, such as the new abstinence-based model in the province.
