Ontario Premier Doug Ford doubled-down on his decision to slash safe injection sites across the province.

During a news conference on Tuesday, Ford referred to the Trudeau government as “the biggest drug dealer in the entire country,” and called the safe injection program the “worst thing that can happen to a community.”

Ford was initially set to make an announcement about an investment for Ontario’s shipyards, but delivered the remarks after concerns were raised about his government’s announcement yesterday to close several safe injection sites across the province.

He says safe injection sites are not the answer to homelessness, addiction, and mental health issues.

“I’ve been getting endless phone calls about needles being in the parks, needles being by the schools and by the daycare,” Ford said. “That’s unacceptable.”

Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath says she understands the province’s approach of closing safe injection sites that are too close to schools and childcare centres and says she hopes the new model will fill in the blank.

“The success of that model is going to be determined by how robust the funding is going to be,” she said.