The city of Cambridge will not be putting forward an application to the province to fund a safe consumption site just yet.
The Region of Waterloo says they receive the most 911 calls for overdoses from the areas of Central Kitchener and South Cambridge.
They have only put forward one recommendation for a safe consumption site location in Kitchener.
Mayor of Cambridge Kathryn McGarry says there was a strong voice from the public school district that did not want to see a site at 150 Main Street close to a school.
She says there are lots of businesses and residences nearby as well.
“They want to have the site here because we have the shelter,” said Cambridge resident Geraldine Sweeney, whose children go to the school close to the proposed site. “I don’t think we have enough shelters spread throughout the region.”
The report from the region recommends finding an alternative site.
“We are still seeing a record number of fatalities in our community,” said McGarry. “We have to do something.”
The region put forward one location at 150 Duke Street West in Kitchener.
“The City of Kitchener was certainly supportive of safe consumption sites,” said Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic. “We did indicate that we were looking for there to be a multi-location solution in the region.”
“I still need more information,” said Cambridge resident Michael Piccirillo. “I want to know what the future will bring short term and long term. It is something we need to address.”
McGarry says she is confident that Cambridge will be able to identify an appropriate facility in the very near future.
