Safer supply clinic set to close in Ottawa's Chinatown neighbourhood

CTV News

7 days ago

An Ottawa councillor says the closure of a controversial safer supply clinic in Chinatown will 'be a relief' to residents in the neighbourhood.
Northwood Recovery billed itself as a safer supply site that provides legal drugs, like methadone, to help with addiction. The Northwood Recovery clinic initially opened in Hintonburg, before moving to its location on Somerset Street West in March.
In her weekly newsletter to constituents, Somerset Coun. Ariel Troster said Northwood Recovery has indicated the clinic plans to close on June 9.
'The management of the clinic confirmed this with my office in writing. I know this will be a relief to many of you who live in Chinatown and West Centretown,' Troster wrote.
'This comes after tremendous community advocacy, from both residents and experts in the sector.'
Troster says her office will continue to advocate for sustainable solutions to the overdose crisis, including harm reduction, treatment and supportive housing.
'The forced closure of the supervised consumption site at Somerset West Community Health Centre and the opening of the Northwood Clinic created a perfect storm, resulting in a significant and alarming uptick in public drug use and dealing,' Troster said. 'While I am deeply supportive of harm reduction services, it quickly became clear that the Northwood Clinic was not operating in a way that was accountable to the community or service users.'
Northwood Recovery's website says the clinic offers a methadone program for people struggling with addition to opioids.
'It's an effective and legal substitute for heroin or other narcotics,' Northwood Recovery says. 'Methadone has been used in treatment programs since the 1960s. It helps to stabilize the lives of people who are dependent on opiates and reduce the harm related to drug use.'
According to the website, there are Northwood Recovery and Recovery North locations in Sudbury, Timmins, Sault Ste. Marie, Hamilton, North York, Little Current, and Haileybury.