CTS and Kitchener Council

The discussion about the best approach to providing care and support through consumption and treatment services (previously known as Safe Injection Sites) has been occuring in our community in earnest for several years. At this point, Kitchener is the only municipality in the region who has sought to provide these services. I know I, like many others, am very proud that Kitchener is taking these steps.

Last week the Region announced that they will move ahead with these plans and identified 150 Duke as the best location for a CTS site. At that same meeting, Mayor Vrbanovic, to the surprise of many, declared that 105 Victoria was the location that Kitchener city council believes to best.

Since that news hit the media, I have been trying to find out why the Region has selected one site and Kitchener another. In all of this, many of us are fearful that this disagreement will at best, cause delays to the building of a permanent CTS site in Kitchener, and at worst will derail the project completely. 

It's been challenging to find out all the details about both regional and city council's decision-making processes on their preferred locations. Fortunately there is a special council meeting Monday at Kitchener City Hall where residents can share their concerns, thoughts, and ideas. This is where the #365ofgoodWR comes in. If you are able, please learn more about this issue and share your feedback at this meeting (or email your elected officials). Communities become stronger when citizens are engaged in these processes.

I am hopeful that this meeting will provide us with a better understanding about this discrepancy on locations and that we can identify a solution that provides consumption and treatment services to our community quickly.

Edit: See the Mayor's statement about the new motion being put forth Monday.

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