KITCHENER -- There were no overdose-related deaths recorded at Kitchener's consumption and treatment services site last year, according to a staff report presented to regional council.

The report collected data from January to December 2020, looking at the site's first full year in operation.

The CTS site opened at 150 Duke St. West in October 2019.

According to the council report, there were 5,797 visits to the site in 2020, averaging 15.8 visits per day. A total of 858 people accessed the site between January and December. Sixty per cent of clients were between 20 and 39 years old, and only one per cent were under the age of 20.

"What the CTS site does, it enables people to be alive. It enables people to have options and choices, but it doesn't enable substance use, we don't tell people to buy drugs," Violet Umanetz, consumption and treatment services site supervisor, said at the meeting. "We don't tell people what they should or could be using. What we do is we educate people on the risks."

"I think it's a real testament that this is a success and it did turn out to be what we had all hoped the investment in a CTS would be and hats off to Kitchener for housing it," Regional Chair Karen Redman said at the meeting.

EMERGENCY RESPONSES

The report showed staff at the CTS site responded to 188 overdoses last year, and only needed to make one call to 911.

They also made 11 calls to 911 for other medical emergencies, like cardiac arrest, seizures and mental health emergencies.

Security intervened at the site 12 times in all of 2020.

"The CTS staff are trained to de-escalate emotionally charged situations and work with security staff if needed," the report said.

There were no overdose-related deaths at the Kitchener site last year.

IMPACT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The report showed a drop in clients visiting the site during the COVID-19 pandemic.

From January to March, there were 764 average visits per month.

That dropped to 389 visits on average between April and December.

Fewer people were allowed in the building during the pandemic to allow for proper physical distancing. The report said the site had half the number of consumption booths available.

The report also highlighted how COVID-19 made it more difficult to access services due to shifts online or changes in hours.

Many people experiencing homelessness were also shifted to shelter spaces in other areas, according to the report.

CLIENT FEEDBACK ON CTS SITE

The report asked for client feedback on the CTS site.

"I know all the nurses and trust them with my life," one respondent said.

"They're helping me set my goals and reach them," another person said in the report.

According to the report, clients would like to be able to access the site 24 hours a day and smoke substances inside.

Some also said they were concerned about people seeing them enter the site "due to community stigma."

COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUP

The CTS Community Advisory Group includes site neighbours like the City of Kitchener, Downtown Kitchener BIA, Kitchener Public Library, Wilfrid Laurier, schools, child-care centres, neighbourhood associations and faith organizations that talk about the impact of the site.

According to the report, 80 per cent of group members agree or strongly agree the CTS site feels like part of the community, and 90 per cent agreed or strongly agreed that the site is responsive to community concerns.

Members were also asked if they believed the site had a negative impact on the community. Seventy per cent disagreed or strongly disagreed to that question, according to the report to regional council.

COMMUNITY SAFETY

The report also responds to questions about safety and security at the CTS site.

According to responses, any issues were addressed proactively through regular problem-solving by safety partners.

"Although there were concerns the site would have a negative impact on the community, feedback and data has shown concerns related to the site have been minimal and the site has not required significant policing or security staff attention," the report said in part. "Problem solving among partners remains ongoing to proactively address concerns should they arise."

WIth files from CTV Kitchener's Natalie van Rooy.

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