Dear Supporters,

Thank you for signing our petition. Now we need your help to take the next step. We are asking Health Canada to decline the renewal of the Section 56.1 exemption for the Sandy Hill Community Health Centre Supervised Consumption Site and review this model in a fair, transparent, and evidence-based way.
It will take a minute!

You can participate easily in one of two ways:

Option 1: One-Click Email (Recommended)

1. Click this link to open a pre-addressed email with the subject line and letter ready:
2. The email will open with all recipients and the subject line and letter filled in.
3. Add your name and postal code at the bottom.
4. Click Send.

 
Option 2: Manual Email

If the link does not work, you can send the email manually:
Just copy paste recipients, the subject line and the letter. Don’t forget to include your name and postal code. 

Recipients:
marjorie.michel@parl.gc.ca, carol.anne.chenard@hc-sc.gc.ca, mark.carney@parl.gc.ca, doug.fordco@pc.ola.org, Sylvia.Jones@ontario.ca, Alexandra.Adamo@ontario.ca, meagan.soumesay@ontario.ca, hannah.r.jensen@ontario.ca, Blaine.bouchard@ontario.ca, Yuliia.Romanenko@ontario.ca, Vijay.Thanigasalam@ontario.ca, Mona.Fortier@parl.gc.ca, hc.exemption.sc@canada.ca, downtownrideauinitiative@gmail.com, lcollard.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org, stephanie.plante@ottawa.ca, mark.sutcliffe@ottawa.ca

Subject: 
Request for Non-Renewal of Section 56.1 Exemption – Sandy Hill Supervised Consumption Site

Letter Body:

Dear Ministers, Officials, and Representatives,

I am writing to express deep concern regarding the supervised consumption site (SCS) at the Sandy Hill Community Health Centre (SHCHC) in Ottawa. Since its establishment in 2018, the site has contributed to serious challenges affecting neighbourhood safety, livability, and community cohesion.

We respectfully urge Health Canada to decline renewal of the Section 56.1 exemption under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) for SHCHC once it expires in November 2025. We further ask both federal and provincial health ministries to review this model through a transparent, evidence-based, and inclusive process.  

Why We Are Concerned

1. Overconcentration of Services
Within a few blocks of SHCHC, multiple federally exempt supervised consumption services operate. Nearly half of Ontario’s sites are clustered within a small 500-metre radius that includes businesses, students, and families. This concentration is not equitable or evidence-based — it disproportionately burdens one community while shielding others.

2. Lack of Meaningful Consultation
Health Canada’s own guidelines require open and transparent community engagement before granting or renewing exemptions. No broad or inclusive consultation has occurred in Sandy Hill. Many residents — including newcomers, seniors, racialized families, and students — have not been properly heard.

3. Decline in Community Safety and Livability
Since the site opened, the surrounding area has seen an increase in crime, open drug use, violence, and environmental hazards such as discarded needles, pipes, and human waste. Families, daycares, and small businesses have left the area. Both local police data and lived experience confirm a marked decline in safety and quality of life.

4. Absence of Recovery Pathways
While overdose prevention is essential, the current harm reduction model provides limited access to detox, stabilization, or long-term treatment. It keeps people alive but does not help them recover. True compassion requires pathways to recovery — delivered in appropriate medical or residential settings, not in dense residential areas or near schools. 

What We Are Asking For
We call on Health Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Health to:

Decline renewal of SHCHC’s exemption upon its expiry in 2025.

Undertake an independent, evidence-based review of supervised consumption site placement policies, with emphasis on community impact and equity.

Invest in treatment-first approaches — hospital-based detox, stabilization, and recovery programs — instead of clustering unmanaged services in residential neighbourhoods.  

Our Position
We do not oppose support for people who use drugs. We oppose a system that concentrates unmanaged suffering in one community, endangering both residents and users alike. True equity and compassion require balance — treatment and recovery for those in need, and safety and dignity for everyone else.

We urge Health Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Health to take meaningful action to restore fairness, safety, and hope in our neighbourhood — and to set a more balanced national standard.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]
[Your Postal Code]

 
Thank you for taking action — every email counts. By speaking up, we can help ensure fair, balanced, and safe policies for our community.