Injection site could be driving up needle numbers

By Amey Humphries and Irene Galea

The injection sites in Rideau-Vanier could be bringing more drug users into the ward than usual as needles collected between August and October in 2017 soared above those collected during the same period in 2016, according to Ottawa Public Health. 

Total needles collected in Rideau-Vanier

 Needles are collected in drop boxes located around the city and by organizations that pick up discarded needles, such as Needle Hunters and city staff.

Map of drop-off locations

Rideau-Vanier always has a higher number of needles than other wards. However, there was a 13,000 increase from total needles collected between August and October last year.

“The opening of the pop-up site at Raphael-Brunet Park did bring the majority of injection-drug users into the area,” said Coun. Mathieu Fleury said.

The pop-up injection site opened at the end of August.

Fleury said he doesn’t believe that there are more drug users in Ottawa, just that they’ve migrated closer to the injection sites.

Map of safe-injection sites

Chris Grinham, the co-founder of non-profit Safer Ottawa, leads a team that collects needles, particularly in Lowertown and the Byward Market. He attributes the increase of needles to illegal pop-up injection site.

“The problem with the illegal sites is that they don’t contribute to mitigating the problems they bring with them,” said Grinham. While they provide an important and urgently needed service, these sites draw higher instances of crime and homelessness.

City-run sites, such as the trailer behind Shepherds of Good Hope and another on Clarence Street, have also opened in recent months.

This year, 10,000 more needles made it into drop boxes than were deposited last year.

And discarded needles numbers are lower, with only 5,300 being picked up by Needles Hunters and city staff. Last year, there were 5,700, despite the lower overall number of needles collected.

Fleury said he thinks that as more supervised injection sites open around Ottawa, the injection users will not have to go to Rideau-Vanier to use.

“The more we decentralize the offering so that injection drug users can access the services where they live, the less impact they’ll be on to one neighbourhood,” Fleury said.

Coun. Catherine McKenney is trying to get one in Somerset, for instance.

More information regarding needle disposal in Ottawa, including number of discarded needles collected per ward between January and July, can be found on their website.