On March 31, 2025, frontline health workers, harm reduction advocates, and community members gathered outside Regent Park Community Health Centre (RPCHC) to protest the closure of Bevel Up Consumption and Treatment Service (CTS). The decision comes despite a court injunction allowing supervised consumption sites to remain open and an active two-year federal exemption permitting Bevel Up to operate.
Speakers at the rally condemned the move as cruel and unnecessary, highlighting the impact on vulnerable residents. Harm reduction workers spoke of the emotional toll of losing clients to preventable overdoses and urged RPCHC leadership to reconsider. Many questioned why the site was closing at all when legal protections were in place.
Amid the grief, a small but significant victory emerged. A recent court ruling allows other sites affected by the province’s 200-metre restriction to remain open while the legal battle continues. However, funding challenges and political pressure still threaten these vital services.
Despite setbacks, harm reduction workers remain steadfast in their mission, bearing personal grief as they fight the opioid crisis. Advocates vowed to keep pushing, emphasizing that solidarity, courage, and action are needed now more than ever to protect life-saving harm reduction services.
#rptv #regentpark #harmreduction
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