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hivlegalnetwork.bsky.social
This will be today’s thread for live-updates from the courthouse in the Charter Challenge to the Ontario law that will force many safe consumption sites in the province to close by the end of this month.

#SaveOurSites #CTSontario #CTSsavesLives #CTScourtchallenge #SaveCTS #Ontario #ONpoli
March 25, 2025 at 11:54 AM
saffyre9.bsky.social
I own a small commercial property downtown Kitchener, and before the CTS site I was picking up so many needles from my parking lot I had to get a biohazard sharps container to dispose of them all. I haven't found a single one since the CTS opened.

#saveCTS #DTK
dtkmelissa.bsky.social Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · Mar 13
"With the CTS as a place where individuals could go and exchange needles, be monitored while consuming drugs and get off the streets, people like Hunter who live and work downtown saw the site as a positive service." #SaveCTS
Data shows no increase in crime connected to the downtown Kitchener CTS
Local businesses and politicians expect working conditions to get worse as the Kitchener CTS is set to close.
buff.ly
March 13, 2025 at 1:17 PM
dtkmelissa.bsky.social
"A judge has granted all existing supervised consumption sites that were scheduled to close on April 1 an injunction so they can continue operating until a final decision is rendered in a court challenge." #SaveCTS www.thestar.com/news/gta/sup...
Supervised consumption site CEO ‘thrilled’ as judge grants reprieve to Ontario sites that were days from shutdown
Injunction will keep the sites open past the April 1 deadline, including the site in Toronto’s Kensington Market that launched the Charter challenge.
www.thestar.com
March 28, 2025 at 10:33 PM
hivlegalnetwork.bsky.social
In contrast, Ontario did not call one expert regarding the efficacy of SCS in Ontario.

#SaveOurSites #CTSontario #CTSsavesLives #CTScourtchallenge #SaveCTS #Ontario #ONpoli #SayYesToHealth
March 24, 2025 at 2:53 PM
hivlegalnetwork.bsky.social
Counsel for Toronto Public Health continues: safe consumption sites are a necessary response to the current health crisis being caused by toxic drugs in Canada.

#SaveOurSites #CTSontario #CTSsavesLives #CTScourtchallenge #SaveCTS #Ontario #ONpoli #SayYesToHealth
March 25, 2025 at 2:21 PM
dtkmelissa.bsky.social
“Death and disease that would have been prevented will now not be prevented, because those who would have used an SCS [supervised consumption site] will now consume drugs in less safe settings.” #SaveCTS
Ontario judge temporarily blocks shutdown of 10 drug-use sites
Despite the ruling, the province insisted it would go ahead with plans to convert nine of the sites to treatment- and abstinence-focused centres
buff.ly
April 17, 2025 at 11:45 AM
hivlegalnetwork.bsky.social
The courtroom and overflow room are already filled and there aren't enough chairs to accommodate everyone in the overflow room.

#SaveOurSites #CTSontario #CTSsavesLives #CTScourtchallenge #SaveCTS #Ontario #ONpoli #SayYesToHealth
March 24, 2025 at 1:41 PM
hivlegalnetwork.bsky.social
AC is now reading past statements made by #Ontario government officials about their desire to eliminate harm reduction and safe consumption services.

#SaveOurSites #CTSontario #CTSsavesLives #CTScourtchallenge #SaveCTS #ONpoli #SayYesToHealth
March 24, 2025 at 8:08 PM
hivlegalnetwork.bsky.social
Applicants lawyer says that the correct question is whether Ontario’s law exacerbates risk to people who use drugs. The answer is yes, "unequivocally.”

#SaveOurSites #CTSontario #CTSsavesLives #CTScourtchallenge #SaveCTS #Ontario #ONpoli #SayYesToHealth
March 24, 2025 at 3:13 PM
dtkmelissa.bsky.social
"In the middle of (an) unregulated toxic drug and overdose crisis, we cannot take a zero-sum approach. We need (supervised consumption sites), and all the supports enabled by the HART hubs." #SaveCTS www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Supervised drug consumption sites win injunction, can stay open for now amid Charter challenge | CBC News
An Ontario judge has granted an injunction to keep 10 supervised consumption sites open while he considers a Charter challenge of a new provincial law that bans the sites from operating within 200 met...
www.cbc.ca
March 29, 2025 at 1:09 PM
hivlegalnetwork.bsky.social
Another overflow room is opening.

#SaveOurSites #CTSontario #CTSsavesLives #CTScourtchallenge #SaveCTS #Ontario #ONpoli #SayYesToHealth
March 24, 2025 at 1:50 PM
hivlegalnetwork.bsky.social
Just received this photo of HIV Legal Network Co-Executive Director Janet Butler McPhee at today's rally! Thank you @tngcommunityto.bsky.social !

#SaveOurSites #CTSontario #CTSsavesLives #CTScourtchallenge #SaveCTS #Ontario #ONpoli #SayYesToHealth
March 24, 2025 at 6:56 PM
duncarin.bsky.social
Hey Doug, you know what helps to prevent people using drugs in public?

Consumption Treatment Sites.

#FordMustGo #SaveCTS #HarmReduction
Stiffer penalties for trespassing, public drug use in Ontario bill aimed at ending encampments | CBC News
Premier Doug Ford's government is introducing new legislation that it says will give municipalities and police services legal powers and tools to dismantle homeless encampments and crack down on publi...
www.cbc.ca
December 13, 2024 at 1:01 PM
dtkmelissa.bsky.social
"With the CTS as a place where individuals could go and exchange needles, be monitored while consuming drugs and get off the streets, people like Hunter who live and work downtown saw the site as a positive service." #SaveCTS
Data shows no increase in crime connected to the downtown Kitchener CTS
Local businesses and politicians expect working conditions to get worse as the Kitchener CTS is set to close.
buff.ly
March 13, 2025 at 1:00 PM
hivlegalnetwork.bsky.social
Posting this again:

Street Health in Toronto is hiring grief counselors in anticipation of the impact of Ontario's Community Care and Recovery Act taking effect.

#SaveOurSites #CTSontario #CTSsavesLives #CTScourtchallenge #SaveCTS #Ontario #ONpoli #SayYesToHealth
March 25, 2025 at 2:07 PM
hivlegalnetwork.bsky.social
AC: It is crystal clear that this law is meant to frustrate the federal law.

#SaveOurSites #CTSontario #CTSsavesLives #CTScourtchallenge #SaveCTS #Ontario #ONpoli #SayYesToHealth
March 24, 2025 at 7:17 PM
hivlegalnetwork.bsky.social
Court is back in session with the lawyers for @tngcommunityto.bsky.social and the two individual applicants presenting further arguments.

#SaveOurSites #CTSontario #CTSsavesLives #CTScourtchallenge #SaveCTS #Ontario #ONpoli #SayYesToHealth
March 24, 2025 at 6:10 PM
hivlegalnetwork.bsky.social
Applicant's Counsel: if you close alternatives to public consumption, you push consumption back into the public domain.

#SaveOurSites #CTSontario #CTSsavesLives #CTScourtchallenge #SaveCTS #Ontario #ONpoli #SayYesToHealth
March 24, 2025 at 3:55 PM
hivlegalnetwork.bsky.social
Packing up and moving is not reasonable. The Neighbourhood Group and KMOPS provide a range of other services beyond CTS - including showers and meals - that can't be moved with the CTS.

#SaveOurSites #CTSontario #CTSsavesLives #CTScourtchallenge #SaveCTS #Ontario #ONpoli #SayYesToHealth
March 24, 2025 at 2:36 PM
hivlegalnetwork.bsky.social
Toronto Public Health Counsel: since 2015, the death toll in Toronto due to toxic drug crisis is the equivalent of six Dash 8 airplanes crashing at Billy Bishop airport every two months.

#SaveOurSites #CTSontario #CTSsavesLives #CTScourtchallenge #SaveCTS #Ontario #ONpoli #SayYesToHealth
March 25, 2025 at 2:24 PM
coopkaryn.bsky.social
If having a consumption space is too much to bear, not sure how they'll handle public deaths and public drug use. #saveoursites #harmreductionispublichealth #CTSsaveslives #CTScourtchallenge #saveCTS #ONpoli
hivlegalnetwork.bsky.social HIV Legal Network @hivlegalnetwork.bsky.social · Mar 25
The first intervener is representing some of the families living in the Leslieville area. They say that "the ripple effects of South Riverdale were too much for the community to bear".

"Two things can be true: we should work to prevent overdose deaths and also protect children."
March 25, 2025 at 2:41 PM
hivlegalnetwork.bsky.social
There seem to be technical difficulties in the overflow room which are preventing us from informing you about what is happening. Please stay tuned.

#SaveOurSites #CTSontario #CTSsavesLives #CTScourtchallenge #SaveCTS #Ontario #ONpoli #SayYesToHealth
March 24, 2025 at 2:13 PM
morgellona.bsky.social
This is everything to me right now. Huge thank you to The Neighbourhood Group (KMOPS), Katie and Jean-Pierre for their bravery in fighting this hideous law that will result in more death of our loved ones in Ontario. Solidarity and all my love.

#saveCTS #SafeConsumptionSavesLives
hivlegalnetwork.bsky.social HIV Legal Network @hivlegalnetwork.bsky.social · Mar 20
Stay tuned for a Zoom link if you would like to watch the court proceedings on Monday and Tuesday.

You can find legal documents and background information on the case here:

www.hivlegalnetwork.ca/site/protect...
The Charter challenge to Ontario’s Community Care and Recovery Act will be heard in Ontario Superior Court in Toronto on Monday, March 24 and Tuesday March 25.
March 20, 2025 at 7:57 PM
hivlegalnetwork.bsky.social
AC: Section 15 is about substantive equality and protects people who - due to certain disadvantages - experience laws that appear to be "neutral" much differently.

#SaveOurSites #CTSontario #CTSsavesLives #CTScourtchallenge #SaveCTS #Ontario #ONpoli #SayYesToHealth
March 24, 2025 at 4:27 PM
hivlegalnetwork.bsky.social
A relocated CTS could also be forced to close again if a new school were to open within 200 metres, creating a huge level of uncertainty and lack of control.

#SaveOurSites #CTSontario #CTSsavesLives #CTScourtchallenge #SaveCTS #Ontario #ONpoli #SayYesToHealth
March 24, 2025 at 2:38 PM