Editing Supervised injection site (section)

==== Canada ====
[[File:Controversial Safe Injection Site.jpg|thumb|right|[[Insite]] in 2008]]
There are 39 government authorized SCS in Canada as of July 2019: 7 in [[Alberta]], 9 in [[British Columbia]], 19 in [[Ontario]], and 4 in [[Quebec]].<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|title=Debate over supervised consumption sites ramps up across Alberta|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/5477236/supervised-consumption-sites-alberta-drugs-debate/|access-date=2020-10-07|website=Global News|language=en-US}}</ref> An exemption to controlled substances law under [[Criminal Code (Canada)|Canadian Criminal Code]] is granted inside the facilities, but drug possession remains illegal outside the facility and there is no buffer zone around the facility.<ref name=":6" /> Canada's first SCS, [[Insite]] in [[Downtown Eastside]] of [[Vancouver]], commenced operation in 2003.<ref name="vanbeek">{{cite book|last=Van Beek|first=Ingrid|title=In the eye of the needle: Diary of medically supervised injecting centre|publisher=Allen & Unwin|year=2004|isbn=978-1-74114-381-2|location=Crows Nest|oclc=57515258}}</ref>

===== Alberta =====
In August 2020, [[ARCHES Lethbridge]] in [[Lethbridge]], [[Alberta]], the largest SCS in North America, closed shortly after Alberta revoked their grant for misuse of grant funds.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Roulston|first1=Tom|last2=Nixon|first2=Liam|date=July 23, 2020|title=ARCHES audit findings turned over to Lethbridge police for investigation|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/7211328/arches-supervised-consumption-site-audit-police-investigation/|access-date=2020-09-27|website=Global News|language=en-US}}</ref> Shortly after opening in February 2018,<ref name="Pijl_20200113" /> ARCHES Lethbridge found itself repetitively necessitating police intervention and/or [[emergency medical services]] for opioid-related issues;<ref name=":8">{{Cite web|last=Vogt|first=Terry|date=2020-03-05|title=Government review says Lethbridge SCS has 'most problems in the province'|url=https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/government-review-says-lethbridge-scs-has-most-problems-in-the-province-1.4841210|access-date=2020-10-07|website=Calgary|language=en}}</ref> indeed, three weeks after its closure, the city noted a 36% decline in opioid-related [[Emergency Medical Services|EMS]] requests.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Labby|first=Bryan|date=September 26, 2020|title=3 weeks after province ends funding for injection site, unsanctioned space opens in Lethbridge|work=CBC News|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/lethbridge-supervised-injection-site-unsanctioned-1.5737627}}</ref>
The average per-capita operating cost of government sanctioned sites are reported to be CAD$600 per unique-client, with the exception of the ARCHES Lethbridge which had a disproportionately high cost of CAD $3,200 per unique client.<ref name=":8" />

In September 2020, a group in [[Lethbridge]], [[Alberta]] led by an ARCHES employee started hosting an unauthorized SCS in public places in a tent.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Gunn|first=Connor|title=Galt Gardens pop-up injection site moves location on 2nd night|url=https://lethbridgenewsnow.com/2020/09/26/galt-gardens-pop-up-injection-site-moves-location-on-2nd-night/|access-date=2020-09-27|website=Lethbridge News Now|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite web|date=2020-09-26|title=Unsanctioned injection site sets up in Galt Gardens|url=https://lethbridgeherald.com/news/lethbridge-news/2020/09/26/unsanctioned-injection-site-sets-up-in-galt-gardens/|access-date=2020-09-27|website=The Lethbridge Herald – News and Sports from around Lethbridge}}</ref> The group did not have authorizations to operate an SCS or a permit to pitch a tent in the park. The organizer was issued citations for the tent; and the [[Lethbridge Police Service]] advised that users utilizing the unauthorized SCS would be arrested for drug possession, because exemptions do not apply to unauthorized sites.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Ferris|first=Danica|date=September 29, 2020|title=Pop-up overdose prevention site operators fined $300 by City of Lethbridge|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/7367572/pop-up-overdose-prevention-site-fine-lethbridge/|access-date=2020-10-03|website=Global News|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Lethbridge group sets up unsanctioned overdose prevention site in Galt Gardens|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/7361329/lethbridge-overdose-prevention-unsanctioned-galt-gardens/|access-date=2020-09-27|website=Global News|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Korol|first=Todd|date=October 5, 2020|title=Lethbridge drug-consumption site seeks Health Canada's permission to operate|work=The Globe and Mail|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alberta/article-lethbridge-drug-consumption-site-seeks-health-canadas-permission-to/|access-date=2020-10-07}}</ref> This opening of this illegal drug consumption tent was controversial and became a subject of discussion at the City Council meeting.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Goulet|first=Justin|date=September 29, 2020|title=Organizer of pop-up injection site issued fine|url=https://lethbridgenewsnow.com/2020/09/29/organizer-of-pop-up-injection-site-issued-fine/|access-date=2020-10-01|website=Lethbridge News Now|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Barrow|first=Tyler|date=2020-09-28|title=Protestors gather outside Lethbridge city hall frustrated over pop-up overdose prevention site|url=https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/protestors-gather-outside-lethbridge-city-hall-frustrated-over-pop-up-overdose-prevention-site-1.5123920|access-date=2020-09-29|website=Calgary|language=en}}</ref>

===== Ontario =====
Ontario has scheduled to close ten drug SCS by end of March 2025 and further establishment of SCS is now banned.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Alhmidi |first=Maan |date=2025-02-25 |title='Havens of love and care': Ontarians protest closures of supervised consumption sites |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/havens-of-love-and-care-ontarians-protest-closures-of-supervised-consumption-sites/article_71c9414a-b839-5866-9e74-2f22498c905c.html |access-date=2025-02-26 |website=Toronto Star |publisher=[[The Canadian Press]] |language=en}}</ref>