Safe Consuption Sites Save Lives
Crissi Cochrane
Last year when we tore down the playhouse in our backyard, we found needles that someone had thrown over our back fence. Now I routinely check the back of our property for needles, and my four-year-old has been aware - since AGE TWO - that she needs to keep a look out for “anything weird” in our yard and at our neighborhood park.
We NEED safe injection sites for drug users in our community, and we need them NOW. Our community organizations have been calling for this for years, and all of the research supports this. The location is basically complete and ready to open and save lives, but ignorant, backwards, uneducated councillors in our city are trying to stop it from opening.
Windsor artists, musicians, creatives, and compassionate people - please please PLEASE support the downtown safe injection site that Councillor Renaldo Agostino is trying to stop from going forward. Contact your councillor this weekend - the decision is being made Monday at 4pm.
CONTACT YOUR COUNCILLOR:
Ward 1 – Fred Francis
Phone:519-250-4607
Email:ffrancis@citywindsor.ca
Ward 2 – Fabio Costante
Phone:519-252-1005
Email:fcostante@citywindsor.ca
Ward 3 – Renaldo Agostino
Phone:519-946-5067
Email:ragostino@citywindsor.ca
Ward 4 – Mark McKenzie
Phone:519-946-8400
Email:mmckenzie@citywindsor.ca
Ward 5 – Ed Sleiman
Phone:519-944-7058
Email:esleiman@citywindsor.ca
Ward 6 – Jo-Anne Gignac
Phone:519-945-4434
Email:joagignac@citywindsor.ca
Ward 7 – Angelo Marignani
Phone:519-946-1111
Email:amarignani@citywindsor.ca
Ward 8 – Gary Kaschak
Phone:519-948-0900
Email:gkaschak@citywindsor.ca
Ward 9 – Kieran McKenzie
Phone:519-972-6071
Email:kmckenzie@citywindsor.ca
Ward 10 – Jim Morrison
Phone:519-962-5921
Email:jmorrison@citywindsor.ca
Mayor Drew Dilkens
Phone: (519) 255-6315
Email: mayoro@citywindsor.ca
SAMPLE LETTER
CREATED BY WINDSOR SPEAKEASY PODCAST
Dear Councillor _______,
I am writing to strongly oppose Councillor Agostino's upcoming Notice of Motion, which would rescind council's support for the SafePoint consumption service location at 101 Wyandotte St. E.
If passed, this motion will:
Endanger lives by increasing the number of fatal and non-fatal drug overdoses
Create an additional burden on Windsor taxpayers through (a) the costs of new consultations and administrative reports, and (b) continuing to disproportionately rely on costly emergency services and hospitals to deal with concerns more appropriately dealt with by SafePoint
Increase cynicism and erode community trust by undermining years worth of open, transparent consultations that engaged thousands of residents, businesses and organizations.
In 2021, 86 people died in Windsor-Essex from an overdose. Passing this motion to rescind the approval of the SafePoint location at 101 Wyandotte St. E. would be extremely irresponsible, particularly in light of the current opioid crisis in Windsor. Statistics Canada data from 2017-2019 found that consumption and treatment sites across Canada (similar to SafePoint) attended to 15,000 overdoses and drug-related emergencies, with no fatalities.
Last year, Windsor City Council voted to approve the SafePoint location at 101 Wyandotte St. E. Since that location was approved, site plans were finalized and the final renovations are currently being completed, with an expected opening this spring.
In addition to preventing overdose deaths, SafePoint will help connect people with primary health care, addictions treatment, and social services like housing; reduce the spread of blood-borne infections; reduce the strain on local hospitals and emergency services, and; create a safer community by reducing publicly discarded needles and debris.
Over the last four years, the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit has led a consultation process that has engaged approximately 3000 Windsor-Essex residents, organizations and businesses through town halls, reports, and media events. Stakeholders were provided an opportunity to provide feedback and ask questions at every stage of this process.
Cancelling the proposed SafePoint location at 101 Wyandotte St. E. will needlessly endanger the lives of some of Windsor's most vulnerable residents.
Please vote against this motion, as we cannot afford to wait any longer for such a critical service in our community.
Sincerely,
(YOUR SIGNATURE HERE)