Dozens of chairs, each representing someone in the Region of Waterloo who died of a drug poisoning in 2021, wrapped around the edge of the Waterloo North Mennonite church parking lot on Tuesday.
Each chair was set up as a solemn reminder of a life lost in the region, as the church raised awareness ahead of International Overdose Awareness Day, which is on Aug. 31 this year.
“These are users who have been given toxic drugs, and much of that is because it’s criminalized and they do not have access to controlled drugs,” said Gordon Allaby, lead minister at Waterloo North Mennonite Church. “When you see it laid out, like these chairs, you realize that’s a lot of people.
"There’s been people in our church who have been directly touched by this, and we’re trying to raise awareness so people know really what’s going on."
The church set up the outdoor display in hopes that people driving or walking by would take notice.
“We need to decriminalize it and end the stigmatization of it because a lot of these users die alone, and it’s terrible, it’s sad,” he added. "It needs to be decriminalized. The way to deal with this isn't through the legal system. It's through giving support and compassion and helping these individuals.
"If there's access to safe, reliable drugs, that would make a huge difference. You would not see all these deaths."
Following the display, the church held a service on Tuesday night in honour of those who died and invited members of the community to speak and share their experiences.
“Across Canada, including in Waterloo Region, overdoses and overdose-related deaths have been increasing to unprecedented levels each year,” read a statement from the Region of Waterloo released ahead of International Overdose Awareness Day.
The latest figures from the region idicate there were at least 99 deaths last from overdoses, but the Waterloo Region Integrated Drugs Strategy (WRIDS) says the numbers are likely higher, as confirmation can take up to a year.
Wednesday will be marked locally by two events organized by the Overdose Prevention Work Group of WRIDS and the Wellington Guelph Drug Strategy.
The first event will be held in Guelph from 11:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Royal Bank Plaza, and the second will take place in Kitchener’s Victoria Park from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Both events will include a memorial, guest speakers, light refreshments and access to harm reduction supplies.
The City of Cambridge hosted an event in Dickson Park on Wednesday, Aug. 24.
Correction:
A previous version stated that the Cambridge event was to be held on Aug. 31 when, in fact, it was held a week prior.
