Spike in the number of opioid overdoses in Hamilton

The city of Hamilton is looking to establish a permanent supervised injection site for drug users

In the first few weeks of February, Hamilton had 61 opioid-related emergencies, more than any month since September 2017.

Niagara gets fewer calls than Hamilton but has also seen increases in 2019.

Health officials say the recent scourge of purple heroin may have been to blame for the February spike across the province.

“It tends to be an issue of the potency of the drugs, rather than the number of people who are using.” Elizabeth Richardson, Hamilton Medical Officer of Health.

Hamilton has one supervised injection site but the location is temporary and the city’s medical officer of health says the city could use a second location.

More than 6 out of 10 opioid-related medical calls in Hamilton come from wards two and three.

City officials have had several meetings lately on where to put the safe injection. Jason Farr says he’s discuss a permanent safe injection site in ward two or three but for now the city is waiting to see what this provincial government will allow.