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CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
N.S. hospitals to install metal detectors that use AI
Artificial intelligence will be used to identify weapons in a move that comes months after a violent attack on hospital employees in Halifax. Carolyn Ray has the story.
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
Toronto community services face ‘absolute fallout' of consumption site closures
Jason Stutz, a staff member at Toronto's Kensington Market Overdose Prevention Site (KMOPS), is photographed in the consumption room on Thursday, July 31, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young TORONTO — A great shift is underway in Toronto months after the closures of several supervised consumption sites, as their users seek alternatives and drop-in centres see an alarming jump in overdoses. Some segments of the city's homeless population have resettled near remaining consumption sites, but fluctuating intakes have been reported at different locations. READ MORE: Overdoses at Toronto drop-in centres have spiked since closure of 4 supervised consumption sites The Toronto Drop-In Network said there has been a nearly 300 per cent increase in overdoses at its 10 locations since the spring closures. At the same time, paramedics in the city are responding to significantly fewer overdose calls and the number of provincewide overdose deaths has markedly dropped. These changes have eased tensions in some parts of the city, while sparking anger in others. Ontario Premier Doug Ford's government banned consumption sites within 200 metres of a school or daycare in legislation that came into effect on April 1, targeting 10 sites across the province. The Kensington Market Overdose Prevention Site in Toronto launched a Charter challenge of the new law in court, and in late March a judge granted an injunction to keep them open. However, the other nine sites chose to convert to the province's new abstinence-based model — homelessness and addiction recovery treatment, or HART, hubs – and closed. At the Kensington Market consumption site, which receives all of its funding from private donors, traffic is up by 35 per cent, said supervisor Felipe Diaz. 'It's not what we hoped for, we thought we would be a lot busier,' Diaz said, noting that staff are handing out many more harm reduction kits. There have been wild oscillations in site use, he added. In May, 168 people used the consumption site but that dropped to 68 in June, Diaz said. Traffic is up for other services, which include an on-site doctor and nurse. The site is growing, signing up about 12 new people a month, he said. But like several experts and drug users who spoke with The Canadian Press, Diaz said the practice of smoking fentanyl or meth instead of injecting the drugs is on the rise. On a recent visit to the Kensington Market site, Michelle Marshall popped out of the consumption room after injecting fentanyl. 'It's sad,' said Marshall, who has been sleeping in alcoves, parks and alleyways after being kicked out of a hotel shelter in the spring and splitting with her partner. 'There's too many of us out on the streets now. It's busier here then ever.' About a 20-minute walk down the road leads to Lois Dellert's home, which backs onto a graffiti-lined alley that connects on one end to a now-closed supervised consumption site that was converted to a HART hub. The area also has other services for homeless people and a new shelter. Dellert said she is not opposed to consumption sites and wants people to get the help they need. But she is against the drug use just outside her home and had been concerned about crime after seeing people sleeping on her property, fights, drug deals and discarded needles. The site's closure has calmed the area somewhat, Dellert said, and the alley appeared much cleaner last week. 'There's still drug use, but it's less and pretty much contained to the entrance near the laneway,' she said. The Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre, a 20-minute drive farther west, has seen tremendous growth since the new consumption site rules came into effect – especially since its sister site near Dellert's place closed. It has 180 new clients and recorded 1,731 visits from April to July, up from 1,220 in the same time period last year. A parkette next to the site has exploded with activity in recent months, partially because the city cleared a nearby encampment and erected a fence to prevent another one from popping up. Other encampments in the area were also recently cleared. 'We are seeing the absolute fallout of the decisions to close consumption sites,' said Angela Robertson, executive director of the health centre. 'We are seeing a migration from the closed sites and cleared encampments to now occupying public space in the parkette space adjacent to us and that has created a great deal of upheaval.' When The Canadian Press visited the location last week, two dealers arrived on bicycles, sold drugs to two people and quickly left. No one was doing drugs outside the health centre but many visitors admitted to smoking drugs in the parkette or on nearby streets. Several security guards kept watch as site staff checked on people. Neighbourhood group Residents for a Safe Parkdale said their concerns are being ignored and the centre's hired security does little to crack down on the 'chaos and disorder' in the area. 'The centre failed to state how it would address neighbourhood safety concerns with concrete, effective measures to end hard drug intoxication causing the criminal and anti-social conduct on and around the outdoor portion of this site,' the group wrote in a recent email to Robertson that was also sent to the premier, other politicians and police. 'The entire neighbourhood is littered with drug paraphernalia such as used syringes, bloody alcohol swabs and smashed glass crack pipes that you give away,' the group wrote. But Robertson said the centre's job is not to remove people from the parkette. 'That's not our role,' she said. 'If we see something illegal, we will engage the neighbourhood community policing team. But it is a significant challenge.' The centre has been promoting smoking over injecting drugs as a harm reduction strategy, Robertson said. She and others believe that is one reason behind a notable drop in overdose complications and deaths. Toronto Paramedic Services said they've seen a 'general decline' in overdose calls since May 2024. In June, they responded to 181 non-fatal overdoses compared to 354 non-fatal overdoses in June 2024. Provincewide, there were 609 suspected drug-related deaths from April to June, according to the latest data from the Office of the Chief Coroner. That is an 11 per cent decrease from the previous three months and a 41 per cent drop from the same time frame last year. Back at the Parkdale health centre parkette, Lexi Murdoch settled into a chair after smoking fentanyl down the street. 'I hate this stuff,' she said, adding that she was considering treatment that previously helped her get off opioids for years. Murdoch said the government's move to shut down consumption sites is 'already bringing chaos out in the open.' 'We need a closed-in area where we can smoke,' she said. 'I don't want to be out here, but unfortunately a lot of people are homeless.' A young person began nodding off on a nearby bench before falling unconscious. Another ran to the centre for help. Laila Bellony, a harm reduction manager at the site, sprang into action along with members of her team to administer oxygen. A few minutes later, the young person regained consciousness. 'It's been a busy few months,' Bellony said with a deep sigh. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 7, 2025.
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
Former Regina police chief Troy Hagen dead at 67
Troy Hagen, who served as the chief of the Regina Police Service (RPS) for eight years, has died. He was 67. Hagen passed away on July 31, according to an obituary published Thursday. Born and raised in Regina, Hagen followed his childhood dream of becoming a police officer, joining RPS in 1979. He would go on to serve in patrol, drug, property crimes, stolen auto and crime prevention divisions. He also served on the service's special weapons and tactics team. In addition to his operational work, he also served 17 years as an elected member of the Regina Police Association – including eight years as its president. He is credited as playing a key role in introducing the 12-hour shift. Hagen rose through the ranks, being promoted to staff sergeant, inspector of north district, superintendent of community services, deputy chief and finally chief of police in 2008 – a post he held until his retirement in August of 2016. Throughout his life, Hagen served on numerous boards and committees including Cops for Cancer, Family Services Regina, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Regina Inner City Partnership Committee, the Crime Prevention Advisory Committee, and the United Way. He also served as vice chair of Prostate Cancer Support Regina where he worked to expand access to support across the province. Hagen is survived by his wife Judy as well as his children and grandchildren. The family thanked the Pasqua Hospital oncology unit, the Allan Blair Cancer Clinic, and the internal medicine department at the Regina General Hospital for the kindness and compassion shown to Hagen during his care. A private celebration of life is scheduled for a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Allan Blair Cancer Centre, United Way or a charity of one's choosing. 'Above all, Troy will be remembered for his unwavering strength, determination, and wholehearted approach to life,' Hagen's obituary read. 'He met challenges head on, treasured time with those he loved, and lived with a sense of purpose and optimism that inspired everyone around him.'
