Remove drug sites from school and residential neighborhoods now!
Remove drug sites from school and residential neighborhoods now!
Le problème
In July 2024, the Northwood Recovery and Treatment Center opened in Hintonburg, located in Ottawa, Ontario. Since that time, the center, with an operation only large enough to write prescriptions via a virtual doctor, has wreaked havoc on the Community.
We, the undersigned, request that all levels of government respond to the growing lack of safety building in the Hintonburg community and intervene with haste and fortitude for the sake of Canadian families, children and business owners. We ask that:
1. That the activities of Northwood Recovery and Treatment Center (found at 1071 Wellington St W, Ottawa) be immediately paused and the center removed from this residential neighborhood due to the increase in drug related activity and being less than 200m away from local schools and within a residential neighborhood:
Examples include:
- Increased risk of violence as police found loaded guns and blades among drug dealers and users.
- Used drug paraphernalia such as dirty needles, crack pipes, syringes, pill bottles found at high rates in local parks, school parking lots, residences, business and school forefronts.
- Increase in vandalism, altercations and threats towards business owners, residents and community members due to an increase of drug dealers, addicts and drug activity on Wellington West.
- Drug use and related activity resulting in greater police presence near 2 local elementary schools and at least 3 known drug busts less than 91m away from children.
- Limited use of Hintonburg park as a result of drug materials and supplies found in the park, which creates too great of a risk for children to play in the snow.
- Open drug use on resident properties, private business properties and in close proximity to 2 local schools.
- Increased break ins during daytime hours into local businesses and churches.
2. That Northwood Recovery and Treatment Center be strongly prohibited from moving to another residential neighborhood and within 500 m of any school, park or community center in any city that it functions in.
3. To ensure that drug consumption or treatment sites promote a model where drugs are not consumed openly in public without supervision, but rather are monitored indoors with a trained doctor or pharmacist to support the individual's recovery.
4. That this model of “recovery center” be prohibited from being established. As this model does not have any mechanism to promote the recovery of drug addicts beyond replacement drugs at high doses and does allow for open drug consumption unsupervised on the street. This model cannot be said to support recovery in any manner.
5. To prohibit the presence of supervised, unsupervised, safe consumption, safe supply sites or any addiction related sites within 500 m of elementary schools, high schools and daycares to:
- Mitigate the exposure of children to drug consumption.
- To prioritize the safety of young Canadian citizens by addressing the factual evidence that these sites have attracted drug dealers, open drug use, violence, theft, and increased littering of drug paraphernalia in school areas, parks, parking lots, and schoolyards, thereby significantly raising the risk of harm to Canadian children.
- To reduce the increased risk of harm that may occur to children and families through the presence of drug addicts, drug dealers with weapons and violence that increases in the school's proximity as a result of safe supply
6. That the owner(s) and affiliated entities of Northwood Recovery and Treatment Center be the Government of Ontario, Health Canada and the College of Physicians and Surgeons to ensure all practices are legal, ethical, and uphold their duty of care. This review is particularly important given that at least 7 sites (Hamilton and Wellington W) are affiliated with Northwood Recovery owners and operators.
7. That the Government of Ontario and Health Canada immediately implement additional protocols, standards, and accountability measures for existing and new safe supply sites to prevent harm to Canadian communities and individuals struggling with addiction. The Government must recognize that transitioning solely to a new model of care may not prevent drug-related activity or the gathering of individuals with addiction near school areas.
Conclusion:
The presence of recovery centers, safe supply sites, safe consumption sites in neighborhood residentials does not adequately balance the rights of all citizens affected by drug use in Canada. While we empathize with individuals struggling with addiction, the rights of families and communities must also be protected. Parents deserve access to clean parks, safe schools, and community centers to raise their children. Recovery centers should be located away from residential areas, given the clear evidence of increased drug-related activity near schools and homes across the country.
We call on all levels of government to implement viable solutions that support all parties involved, including placing regulations on drug-consumption sites, accountability for bad actors, and careful discernment of site locations to protect families, residences, and children from drug-related activity.
Relevant links for evidence of the above:
Northwood Recovery Centre's impact on Hintonburg:
Northwood Recovery Centers are not listed on this site produced by Health Canada: https://health.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-medication/opioids/responding-canada-opioid-crisis/map.html
Consumption sites are being banned but not far enough away from schools:
Dr. Suman Koka, involved doctor with Northwood Recovery Centers, was reprimanded for unsafe practices:
News reports regarding the activity at Northwood Recovery Centre:
https://tnc.news/2025/01/22/ottawa-diversion-reselling-safe-supply-drugs/
Tracking of unsafe drug items found in the neighborhood of Wellington W:
https://open.ottawa.ca/datasets/1df881ffb2a24576b63ae48f26714644_0/explore
863
Le problème
In July 2024, the Northwood Recovery and Treatment Center opened in Hintonburg, located in Ottawa, Ontario. Since that time, the center, with an operation only large enough to write prescriptions via a virtual doctor, has wreaked havoc on the Community.
We, the undersigned, request that all levels of government respond to the growing lack of safety building in the Hintonburg community and intervene with haste and fortitude for the sake of Canadian families, children and business owners. We ask that:
1. That the activities of Northwood Recovery and Treatment Center (found at 1071 Wellington St W, Ottawa) be immediately paused and the center removed from this residential neighborhood due to the increase in drug related activity and being less than 200m away from local schools and within a residential neighborhood:
Examples include:
- Increased risk of violence as police found loaded guns and blades among drug dealers and users.
- Used drug paraphernalia such as dirty needles, crack pipes, syringes, pill bottles found at high rates in local parks, school parking lots, residences, business and school forefronts.
- Increase in vandalism, altercations and threats towards business owners, residents and community members due to an increase of drug dealers, addicts and drug activity on Wellington West.
- Drug use and related activity resulting in greater police presence near 2 local elementary schools and at least 3 known drug busts less than 91m away from children.
- Limited use of Hintonburg park as a result of drug materials and supplies found in the park, which creates too great of a risk for children to play in the snow.
- Open drug use on resident properties, private business properties and in close proximity to 2 local schools.
- Increased break ins during daytime hours into local businesses and churches.
2. That Northwood Recovery and Treatment Center be strongly prohibited from moving to another residential neighborhood and within 500 m of any school, park or community center in any city that it functions in.
3. To ensure that drug consumption or treatment sites promote a model where drugs are not consumed openly in public without supervision, but rather are monitored indoors with a trained doctor or pharmacist to support the individual's recovery.
4. That this model of “recovery center” be prohibited from being established. As this model does not have any mechanism to promote the recovery of drug addicts beyond replacement drugs at high doses and does allow for open drug consumption unsupervised on the street. This model cannot be said to support recovery in any manner.
5. To prohibit the presence of supervised, unsupervised, safe consumption, safe supply sites or any addiction related sites within 500 m of elementary schools, high schools and daycares to:
- Mitigate the exposure of children to drug consumption.
- To prioritize the safety of young Canadian citizens by addressing the factual evidence that these sites have attracted drug dealers, open drug use, violence, theft, and increased littering of drug paraphernalia in school areas, parks, parking lots, and schoolyards, thereby significantly raising the risk of harm to Canadian children.
- To reduce the increased risk of harm that may occur to children and families through the presence of drug addicts, drug dealers with weapons and violence that increases in the school's proximity as a result of safe supply
6. That the owner(s) and affiliated entities of Northwood Recovery and Treatment Center be the Government of Ontario, Health Canada and the College of Physicians and Surgeons to ensure all practices are legal, ethical, and uphold their duty of care. This review is particularly important given that at least 7 sites (Hamilton and Wellington W) are affiliated with Northwood Recovery owners and operators.
7. That the Government of Ontario and Health Canada immediately implement additional protocols, standards, and accountability measures for existing and new safe supply sites to prevent harm to Canadian communities and individuals struggling with addiction. The Government must recognize that transitioning solely to a new model of care may not prevent drug-related activity or the gathering of individuals with addiction near school areas.
Conclusion:
The presence of recovery centers, safe supply sites, safe consumption sites in neighborhood residentials does not adequately balance the rights of all citizens affected by drug use in Canada. While we empathize with individuals struggling with addiction, the rights of families and communities must also be protected. Parents deserve access to clean parks, safe schools, and community centers to raise their children. Recovery centers should be located away from residential areas, given the clear evidence of increased drug-related activity near schools and homes across the country.
We call on all levels of government to implement viable solutions that support all parties involved, including placing regulations on drug-consumption sites, accountability for bad actors, and careful discernment of site locations to protect families, residences, and children from drug-related activity.
Relevant links for evidence of the above:
Northwood Recovery Centre's impact on Hintonburg:
Northwood Recovery Centers are not listed on this site produced by Health Canada: https://health.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-medication/opioids/responding-canada-opioid-crisis/map.html
Consumption sites are being banned but not far enough away from schools:
Dr. Suman Koka, involved doctor with Northwood Recovery Centers, was reprimanded for unsafe practices:
News reports regarding the activity at Northwood Recovery Centre:
https://tnc.news/2025/01/22/ottawa-diversion-reselling-safe-supply-drugs/
Tracking of unsafe drug items found in the neighborhood of Wellington W:
https://open.ottawa.ca/datasets/1df881ffb2a24576b63ae48f26714644_0/explore
863
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Pétition lancée le 28 février 2025