
Ontario ordered five Toronto safe injection sites to close. Here's what's been happening on the streets since then
As the Street Health outreach workers walk the back alleys and laneways near Sherbourne and Dundas streets, looking for people in distress, Naloxone kits hang on rusted chain-link fences like Christmas ornaments. They're placed there by the workers, but also community members looking out for each other; typically, they're all gone by the next day.

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CTV News
7 days ago
- CTV News
Kingston, Ont. health unit warns of increased amount of carfentanil in local drug supply
The South East Health Unit is warning residents about an observed rise in the presence of the synthetic opioid carfentanil in the local drug supply. The health unit says in a news release that the Kingston Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS) site has reported an increase in expected fentanyl samples testing positive for carfentanil, which is considered to be up to 100 times stronger than fentanyl. 'The presence of carfentanil in the unregulated drug supply is cause for concern, as its strength significantly increases the risk for drug poisonings and drug poisoning deaths. Reversing its effects may require higher-than-usual doses of naloxone,' the health unit says. The South East Health Unit is advising people if they are going to use drugs, to avoid using alone, avoid mixing drugs, go slow, and have naloxone on hand to reverse the effects of an overdose, if one occurs. Going to the supervised consumption site at 661 Montreal St. in Kingston is also recommended. The site is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and is open to anyone. The site offers supervised consumption services, including drug poisoning response if needed, harm reduction education and supplies, including disposal of used supplies, naloxone, connection with community support workers, and drug checking services. If you have a friend or family member who uses drugs, it is advised that you obtain a free naloxone kit and training and forward safety warnings to them. You can also call the National Overdose Response Service at 1-888-688-NORS (6677). This is a toll-free, phone-based virtual service, where trained peer volunteers answer calls, assist in making a safety plan and stay on the line with the person for approximately 20 to 35 minutes.


Global News
31-07-2025
- Global News
Christmas tree growers in Maritimes worried about mould causing root rot
Christmas tree growers in the Maritimes are raising the alarm about a form of mould that's causing root rot. Trees take eight to 10 years to grow to full size, which means losing any to disease can set farmers back by years. Maritime growers have noticed some instances of trees infected with a pathogen called phytophthora abietivora. The pathogen has previously been present in parts of the United States, as well as in Quebec and Ontario, but this is the first time it's this type of phytophthora has been spotted in the Maritimes. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'In Eastern Canada and northern New England in particular, we're really seeing an outbreak of a particular phytophthora that was actually just discovered and first identified in 2017,' said Matthew Wright with Christmas Trees Atlantic Association. He says the region's cold temperatures previously protected the trees from the infection, but that's changing. Story continues below advertisement 'We've been over a century growing Christmas trees in Atlantic Canada and have never had a phytophthora infection before. You get a frost deep enough, it can kill a lot of the life forms of phytophthora,' he said. 'With climate change or weather change patterns, we aren't getting consistently cold enough weather that may have protected Canada from this.' He says growers need to be careful when importing stock from outside Atlantic Canada to avoid jeopardizing their tree lot. For more on this story, watch the video above.


CBC
21-07-2025
- CBC
Fredericton mobile outreach van to run 24/7 thanks to federal funding
An outreach team run out of a Sprinter van is now working around the clock thanks to funding through a federal overdose prevention fund. "With the teamwork and the smarts that we have here in Fredericton, along with the support that we've received from the federal government, I am confident that this project is going to have a meaningful life changing impact," said Fredericton Mayor Kate Rogers. The funding will expand the hours of the mobile outreach team, which helps to connect those living rough to services, administers and distributes naloxone kits, and provides addictions support. The van was purchased by the City of Fredericton and is run by the John Howard Society of Fredericton. Six new staff members will be hired and trained in mental-health first aid, trauma informed care, overdose prevention and suicide intervention. John Barrow, executive director of the John Howard Society, said the team now works with about 200 people a day and 30 people a night. The daytime service has been in place for nearly a decade. "I think the biggest thing is to meet people where they're at," Barrow said. "A lot of times when they're requesting intervention or support services, the time to do it is in the moment." "We've got a team now that can respond to folks who are directly on the streets at the point when they want the intervention. That's the time to strike." The funding comes from the Emergency Treatment Fund and is one of four programs in Atlantic Canada receiving a total of $2.8 million. Miramichi, Amherst, Nova Scotia, and St. John's are the other three communities receiving funding for community programs, but neither the Fredericton event nor the news release included any details about what those programs are. The Fredericton portion of the funding is $578,100. Fredericton addictions outreach van to go 24/7 21 minutes ago Federal Health Minister Marjorie Michelle was in Fredericton for the announcement and confirmed the funding is only for one year, after which the program will be "reassessed." "We don't know, you know, in a year where we will be with this crisis, is it going to improve? Is it going to be a big one? So we will adapt," she said. "We need to understand talking about mental health challenges, those crises, it cannot be solved in one day. We collectively have to improve access for people to get not only emergency [services], but also treatment and what works for them." Rogers was quick to say the City of Fredericton will enure the program receives the funding it needs. "I'm certain it will demonstrate that it has had an impact," she said. "When you work with a trusted organization like John Howard, I think we all work together to see how we can continue to support that project. We have been supporting them, locally, provincially and I know the federal government will now see proof of concept in this work." Roger said she is "confident that we will see ongoing support for this project."