inquiry@ottawainnercityhealth.ca 613-562-4500
inquiry@ottawainnercityhealth.ca 613-562-4500
Staff Portal

Frequently asked questions

What is harm reduction?

Why is there so much social disorder in my neighborhood?

What is the toxic drug supply?

How do I help my loved ones stay safe when they are using drugs?

Where are the supervised consumption sites in Ottawa?

How do I learn to respond to overdose? Where do I get naloxone?

What is harm reduction?

Harm Reduction is an evidence-based, client-centred approach that seeks to reduce the health and social harms associated with substance use.

Harm reduction can refer to policies, programmes and practices that aim to minimize the negative health, social and legal impacts associated with substance use, drug policies and drug laws. It challenges traditional notions and beliefs of abstinence-based beliefs and this idea that everyone needs to be abstinent to lead a fulfilling life.

Harm reduction focuses on positive changes and on working with our clients without judgment, discrimination or requiring that people stop using substances as a condition of receiving support.

If you want to read more, visit Harm Reduction International at https://hri.global/ or the National Harm Reduction Coalition at https://harmreduction.org/about-us/principles-of-harm-reduction/.

Why is there so much social disorder in my neighborhood?

There is no question that the amount of social disorder in downtown neighbourhoods has increased significantly over the past few years. The system of care for the unhoused, precariously housed including those who use drugs has been on the brink of collapse since the pandemic exacerbated by the affordable housing crisis. Services are overwhelmed with demand and staff shortages are commonplace. All this at a time when client needs are also at unprecedented levels due to the toxic drug crisis and the ongoing impacts of the pandemic on the mental health of our community.

In addition to mitigating some of the impact social disorder through access to our various shelter and supportive housing based programs, OICH is working with our clients, our partners and our neighbours to restore balance to the neighborhoods in which we operate.

While we cannot control the social structures that have led us to social disorder challenges we see today, we are working with the City, our partners, police, neighbours and our clients toward solutions that will restore the balance in our communities that we all want.

Treating people who use drugs from the unregulated market is also less effective than it was before. People are on extremely high doses of street opioids and this makes it harder to stabilize them on opioid agonist treatment. Detox or bed based drug treatment is not recommended for people who use opioids due to the high risk of death associated with periods of abstinence followed by relapse. Housing people has become more challenging as well. Repeated non fatal opioid toxicity events has lead to an increase in severe brain injury in our clients. Brain injury is not treatable and will require many to live in supportive housing models with 24/7 wraparound health care rather than living independently.This is not to say that we do not treat, just that treatment is not as effective and it will take longer stabilize people than before.

There is no one thing or one approach that is going to solve this complex problem. We need all systems engaged in addressing the challenges and facilitating the engagement, stabilization and integration of people who use drugs and are unhoused.

What is OICH doing to help?

  • SCS: We operate a Supervised Consumption Site that offers case management, referrals, primary care, and mental health care.
  • Substance use support in our housing programs
  • Mental health care available in all programs
  • Community building
  • Block leader program
  • Safer supply
  • Advocacy

What is the toxic drug supply?

Around 2017 there was a shift in the drug supply in Ottawa. Pharmaceutical grade medications were harder and harder to get due to shifts in government policy and powdered fentanyl (a highly toxic opioid) entered the unregulated market. The immediate results was an increase opioid toxicity deaths and a very rapid change in substance us patterns. People who were injection opioids began to smoke stimulants in order to offset the change to the drug supply. Fentanyl does not stay in the body as long as other opioids so they started to inject more frequently to prevent going into opioid withdrawl. Most recently, a significant number have switched from injecting to smoking fentanyl.

The overall impact of this is that services designed to engage, stabilize and integrate people who inject drugs were instantly overwhelmed with demand.

People began to inject drugs in the immediate vicinity of consumption sites because the could not get in for service but still felt safer injecting close to the health care centres who would respond if they overdosed No sites in Ontario are permitted to provide supervised smoking, so people who smoke drugs also do so in the area just outside health and social services sites that will respond to overdose.

How do I help my loved ones stay safe when they are using drugs?

While using and experimenting with drugs is a normal thing, there has never been a more dangerous time to do so. Talk to loved ones about the need to recognize and respond to an opioid overdose and to carry naloxone, even if you do not suspect they are using drugs themselves. If your adolescent or young adult is going to a house party, ensure that they or someone else has naloxone and that they know that they cannot be charged if they call 911 and the police arrive where drugs are present.

If you are concerned about a loved ones substance use and what to learn how to talk to them in a helpful way, or get support for yourself…

There are many resources that any individual can use to get support to stay safe while using drugs. Aside from visiting one of the 4 SCS’ in the city, there are some additional resources below:

Where are the supervised consumption sites in Ottawa?

Supervised Consumption Sites in Ottawa:

These are places you can go to use drugs in a safer way and under the care of these teams. There are 4 SCS’ in the city.
  • The Trailer: Located in the Shepherd’s of Good Hope at 256 King Edward. Run by Ottawa Inner City Health. Open 24/7 & is an anonymous service.
  • Somerset West CHC
  • Sandy Hill CHC
  • Ottawa Public Health

How do I learn to respond to overdose? Where do I get naloxone?

Below you will find a couple of links that teach you how to reverse an overdose.

How to Use Narcan – National Harm Reduction Coalition



Reversing Opioid Overdoses: Naloxone and how it works by the Demystifying Medicine Team at Mcmaster University

To get naloxone:
Many pharmacies carry naloxone and it is available for free. If your local pharmacy does not carry it, please visit Respect RX at the following locations to grab your naloxone kit. You can ask for an injection naloxone kit or a nasal naloxone kit based on your comfort.

Respect RX locations:
45 Montreal Road, Vanier, ON K1L6E8
613-422-8181
ottawaeast@respectrx.ca

Ottawa South
1800 Bank Street, Ottawa, ON K1V7Y6
613-424-9555
ottawasouth@respectrx.ca

Ottawa West
14-2006 Robertson Road, Nepean, ON, K2H1A5
613-680-6999
ottawawest@respectrx.ca