Doug Ford 'absolutely not' wants Toronto to decriminalize drugs
Ontario Premier Doug Ford wants nothing to do with the decriminalization of hard drug possession in Toronto. The Conservative leader made the statement three days after B.C. announced its intention to ban the use of these drugs in public.
Drop your application, Ford said Monday morning, referring to the City of Toronto's 2022 request for an exemption from Health Canada to decriminalize the possession of any illicit drug in its jurisdiction.
On Friday, B.C. Premier David Eby, whom Ford said he had spoken to, announced that his province would ask Health Canada to ban the use of all illicit drugs in public places. About a year ago, the province obtained an exemption similar to the one requested by Toronto.
Differences between Toronto and British ColumbiaWhile the City of Toronto's and British Columbia's applications are essentially similar, there are also some differences.
British Columbia allowed possession of a cumulative maximum amount of 2.5 g. The exemption only applies to persons over the age of 18 and applies only to certain illicit drugs.
On the other hand, Toronto proposes to decriminalize the possession of any illicit drug for personal use and does not specify a maximum amount. People under the age of 18 in Toronto would not be prosecuted.
In an email Monday, Toronto Public Health — which co-signed the exemption request with the city and the Toronto Police Service — said it continues to closely monitor B.C.'s response to the drug toxicity crisis.
Toronto Public Health says that under its decriminalization model, public drug use in Toronto would remain illegal. British Columbia had attempted to regulate public drug use within months of receiving the exemption.
Toronto's medical officer of health, Eileen de Villa, co-signed Toronto's exemption request in 2022. (File photo)
The Toronto municipal agency concedes, however, that B.C.'s experience so far shows that we need a comprehensive approach that keeps everyone in the community safe.
Toronto believes decriminalization is necessary to reduce drug-related deaths. The number of opioid-related toxicity deaths in Toronto increased from 137 in 2015 to 504 in 2022.
Start of the widget. Skip the widget?End of widget. Go back to the beginning of the widget?Fear of arrest for drug possession, Toronto authorities wrote in their application to Health Canada, encouraged some people to use drugs in unsafe conditions.
Toronto received the support of the Police Service in its application. In a letter to former Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Carolyn Bennett in 2023, Chief Myron Demkiw wrote that the Toronto model puts police in the best position to enforce the law.
In an email sent to Radio-Canada on Monday, the Toronto Police Service reiterated that it favours
a health-first approach to the fight against opioids.
The City of Toronto is still awaiting Health Canada's response to its request for an exemption from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. A spokeswoman for the federal agency confirmed that the request was still under review.
A smokescreenHarm reduction researcher Gillian Kolla says the B.C. government's decision is not evidence-based. Asked to respond to Premier Ford's comments, Ms. Kolla replied that evidence has been completely neglected in the policy preparation of some governments.
For a long, long time, we have had hard evidence that criminalizing people who use drugs has no impact.
It doesn't improve safety or health," says Gillian Kolla.
At a news conference Monday, Ford said the city should instead reinvest in treatment for people who are addicted to drugs.
In its submissions to Ottawa, the City of Toronto stated that it plans to be able to offer several new health and treatment services at the time of decriminalization, including a downtown location that provides 24/7 health and social supports.
Toronto Public Health says it has not yet secured the necessary funding from the province and its community partners to open spaces to stabilize people in crisis or with addiction issues at any time of the day and every day of the week.
Drop your application, Ford said Monday morning, referring to the City of Toronto's 2022 request for an exemption from Health Canada to decriminalize the possession of any illicit drug in its jurisdiction.
On Friday, B.C. Premier David Eby, whom Ford said he had spoken to, announced that his province would ask Health Canada to ban the use of all illicit drugs in public places. About a year ago, the province obtained an exemption similar to the one requested by Toronto.
Differences between Toronto and British ColumbiaWhile the City of Toronto's and British Columbia's applications are essentially similar, there are also some differences.
British Columbia allowed possession of a cumulative maximum amount of 2.5 g. The exemption only applies to persons over the age of 18 and applies only to certain illicit drugs.
On the other hand, Toronto proposes to decriminalize the possession of any illicit drug for personal use and does not specify a maximum amount. People under the age of 18 in Toronto would not be prosecuted.
In an email Monday, Toronto Public Health — which co-signed the exemption request with the city and the Toronto Police Service — said it continues to closely monitor B.C.'s response to the drug toxicity crisis.
Toronto Public Health says that under its decriminalization model, public drug use in Toronto would remain illegal. British Columbia had attempted to regulate public drug use within months of receiving the exemption.
Toronto's medical officer of health, Eileen de Villa, co-signed Toronto's exemption request in 2022. (File photo)
The Toronto municipal agency concedes, however, that B.C.'s experience so far shows that we need a comprehensive approach that keeps everyone in the community safe.
Toronto believes decriminalization is necessary to reduce drug-related deaths. The number of opioid-related toxicity deaths in Toronto increased from 137 in 2015 to 504 in 2022.
Start of the widget. Skip the widget?End of widget. Go back to the beginning of the widget?Fear of arrest for drug possession, Toronto authorities wrote in their application to Health Canada, encouraged some people to use drugs in unsafe conditions.
Toronto received the support of the Police Service in its application. In a letter to former Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Carolyn Bennett in 2023, Chief Myron Demkiw wrote that the Toronto model puts police in the best position to enforce the law.
In an email sent to Radio-Canada on Monday, the Toronto Police Service reiterated that it favours
a health-first approach to the fight against opioids.
The City of Toronto is still awaiting Health Canada's response to its request for an exemption from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. A spokeswoman for the federal agency confirmed that the request was still under review.
A smokescreenHarm reduction researcher Gillian Kolla says the B.C. government's decision is not evidence-based. Asked to respond to Premier Ford's comments, Ms. Kolla replied that evidence has been completely neglected in the policy preparation of some governments.
For a long, long time, we have had hard evidence that criminalizing people who use drugs has no impact.
It doesn't improve safety or health," says Gillian Kolla.
At a news conference Monday, Ford said the city should instead reinvest in treatment for people who are addicted to drugs.
In its submissions to Ottawa, the City of Toronto stated that it plans to be able to offer several new health and treatment services at the time of decriminalization, including a downtown location that provides 24/7 health and social supports.
Toronto Public Health says it has not yet secured the necessary funding from the province and its community partners to open spaces to stabilize people in crisis or with addiction issues at any time of the day and every day of the week.