Letter to Mayor Gondek and City Council in Support of Supervised Consumption Services

So far, there are 1,001 signatures, including people from every ward in the city (over 30% - that's over 320 people - in Ward 7 and Ward 8!), and throughout the province and country. There are 41 organizations that have signed in support. Last updated October 11 at 9:37AM. Please sign and show your support at the end of the letter! (We may reach out by email for additional opportunities to support the SCS in coming weeks) Dear Mayor Gondek and Council, We are Calgarians writing to express our concerns about recent conversations regarding supervised consumption services (SCS) in Calgary, and to call for expanded access to these critical services. To ensure equitable access to health care services in appropriate and safe spaces it is essential that SCS’ are available for all Calgarians. We believe that continuing to support the Sheldon Chumir SCS, while increasing the number of sites in other areas where they are most needed, will save lives and improve health and safety outcomes for all Calgarians. This includes those who use these services and those who do not. We were disappointed to read the words of the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions in a Calgary Herald opinion article September 26th. Minister Williams, while making a number of false statements, was quoted as saying “if the City of Calgary wants to see the drug consumption site removed they’re very welcome to let me know and I’ll work with them just like I did in Red Deer.” This is deeply concerning and disregards the large and robust body of peer-reviewed research showing the effectiveness of these services. Furthermore, to speak so carelessly about essential, life-saving medical services is irresponsible and risks undermining critical public health infrastructure that is embedded in these services. We were pleased to see Mayor Gondek, in her September 26th response on X (formerly Twitter), highlight that “one centralized site is not the answer” and “drug poisonings are happening throughout the city.” If Minister Williams is hoping for Calgary City Council to direct decisions about the future of the Sheldon Chumir SCS, we would ask that they take a thoughtful, measured approach that is based on data, evidence, and understanding. Additionally, we would ask that the community who accesses the sites be consulted and included in this decision making process. The data supports expansion of supervised consumption sites. In the first quarter of 2024, there were over 10,000 visits to this site. In 2023, staff at the SCS responded to over 2,000 adverse events, including over 800 instances when naloxone was administered. Without this SCS, many of those adverse events would have had fatal outcomes. Beyond responding to these emergencies, staff at the SCS provide wound care, connections to medical services, and referrals to residential treatment and detox. Expanding these services is not just about helping those in crisis—it’s about creating safer neighbourhoods. Research consistently shows that SCS reduce public drug use, decrease the amount of discarded needle debris, and do not lead to an increase in crime or disorder in surrounding areas. The SCS has, in fact, enhanced community safety and wellbeing by providing a clean and safe environment where people can access medical care and support rather than using drugs in public spaces. Visible homelessness, poverty, and mental health challenges in downtown Calgary shouldn’t be blamed on the SCS. The discomfort some people feel regarding these issues is understandable. A lack of affordable housing, limited access to low barrier mental health supports, and poverty are the primary drivers of “social disorder”. Importantly, these problems will not be solved by removing life-saving services like the SCS. To truly address the overdose crisis and make Calgary a safer city for everyone, we ask that city council support the expansion of supervised consumption services across the city, especially in areas where drug use is prevalent and services are limited. This expansion should also include sites that accommodate safer smoking consumption, which has become the dominant mode of substance use in recent years. Calgary can be a leader in addressing the toxic drug crisis through evidence-based strategies that prioritize health and safety. We agree wholeheartedly that “one centralized site is not the answer” and request that city council continue to support the SCS at the Sheldon Chumir while providing additional resources for more sites, sites that allow people to smoke substances, and affordable housing initiatives. Thank you for your ongoing care and leadership. For media inquiries, please contact [email protected]