The statement, released through the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, was authored by former Ottawa police chief Vernon White and Canadian Medical Association president Alexander Caudarella.
The pair said debate around supervised consumption sites has become increasingly polarized despite the complexity of the issue.
Statement highlights overdose prevention role
The authors noted supervised consumption sites provide medically supervised environments where individuals can use drugs while reducing the risk of fatal overdoses.
According to the statement, there were more than 60,000 overdose events at supervised consumption sites in Canada between 2017 and 2024 without any onsite fatalities reported.
The statement also said the facilities can help reduce public drug use, connect people with health and social services and lower the spread of diseases such as HIV through access to sterile supplies and education.
However, the authors acknowledged supervised consumption sites are not designed to eliminate addiction, stop drug trafficking or solve the broader opioid crisis on their own.
“There is no evidence that shows an increase in drug use from these sites and we know that they serve people who already use drugs,” the statement said.
Calls for stronger integration with treatment and housing
The statement emphasized that harm reduction services should be integrated with addiction treatment, mental health supports, housing and public safety initiatives.
The authors said communities affected by supervised consumption sites also deserve involvement in decisions surrounding local services and neighbourhood impacts.
Ottawa Police Chief Eric Stubbs and Canadian Police Association president Tom Stamatakis were also cited in the statement as supporting more adaptable and integrated harm reduction models.
The release comes as communities across Canada continue grappling with rising overdoses linked to synthetic opioids, including fentanyl.
The statement concludes that the long-term goal should focus on creating communities that are “safer, healthier and more stable for everyone.”
