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Two supervised drug consumption sites in Ottawa say they have been notified the province is withdrawing their funding.
In a joint statement, the Sandy Hill Community Health Centre, and Ottawa Inner City Health —which operates The Trailer 2.0 supervised drug consumption site at the Shepherds of Good Hope — confirmed they were notified late Friday evening that the province’s funding will end in 90 days.
The statement said the sites are “deeply concerned” about what the move could mean for those who rely on them, adding that it could lead to an increase in preventable overdose deaths and put greater strain on other health services.
“We urge the province to reverse this decision and to come to the table to collaborate on alternative models of care that are rooted in evidence and community need,” the statement said.
Representatives from both sites declined to give interviews, saying they are focused on their staff and clients this weekend, but said they plan to address the issue in the coming days.
Neither have confirmed if this means the two sites will be forced to close.
Sites told to shut down, say advocates
On Friday, organizers with the Toronto Overdose Prevention Society said that two sites in Ottawa received letters from the province telling them they will be shut down.
CBC obtained letters sent to other supervised consumption sites in Toronto. In them, Elizabeth Walker, executive lead for office of the chief medical officer of health, said the ministry has served 90 days notice to the site operators to provide an “orderly transition” for clients so that they can access other community health services, like HART hubs.
“This decision reflects Ontario’s commitment to prioritizing treatment, recovery and supports that help individuals move toward long-term stability while protecting Ontario communities,” Walker said.
Supervised consumption sites allow drug users to inject or otherwise use drugs under the supervision of trained staff to reduce the risk of overdose. These sites require exemptions from Health Canada under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to operate.
CBC has reached out to the province for more information.
Two of the busiest supervised consumption sites in Ottawa
According to Health Canada data, there were more than 92,000 visits to the Sandy Hill Community Health Centre from March 2020 to November 2025, and more than 320,000 to the Trailer 2.0 at the Shepherds of Good Hope.
The visit numbers for the two sites eclipse those of the Somerset West Community Health Centre and Ottawa Public Health’s healthy sexuality and risk reduction unit, which respectively saw around 50,000 and 12,000 visits over the same period.
In 2024, the Ontario government banned supervised drug consumption sites near schools and child-care centres, forcing the closure of 10 facilities across the province. The two Ottawa sites having their funding withdrawn are not within 200 metres of a school or child-care centre.
Both the Sandy Hill Community Health Centre and The Trailer 2.0 have a Controlled Drugs and Substances exemption renewal from Health Canada, which were set to last until 2027.