Position Statement – Supervised Consumption Services Sites/HART Hubs

OACP Substance Advisory Committee

Position Statement – Supervised Consumption Services Sites/HART Hubs

Date: March 23, 2026

Note: This Position Statement represents an update on the association’s Drug Strategy Framework Position Paper issued in July 2024.

The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) recognizes the complex and evolving challenges of substance use and addiction across Ontario. Effective responses must be evidence-informed, coordinated, and balanced, addressing health and social needs while protecting community safety and well-being.

Supervised Consumption Services Sites have generated significant public concern in many communities. While intended to reduce immediate harms such as overdose, the OACP is clear that harm reduction alone is neither a complete nor a sustainable response to addiction or its broader impacts. These services were never intended to operate as permanent or standalone solutions, but as one component within an integrated continuum of care.

Police services and community partners have raised ongoing concerns regarding the impacts surrounding some sites, including public disorder, open drug use, needle debris and public health hazards, trafficking and exploitation, and increased demands on emergency and policing resources. Publicly funded services must be supported by clear accountability, measurable outcomes, and effective oversight to ensure they achieve intended results without shifting risk to surrounding neighbourhoods.

The OACP recognizes that transitions away from existing service models will have impacts on individuals who rely on these services and on the communities in which they operate. It is essential that individuals continue to have timely access to appropriate care and supports throughout the transition, including pathways to treatment, mental health services, housing, and recovery.

The OACP welcomes the province’s introduction of Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hubs as a treatment-focused model designed to expand access to recovery services, coordinated care, mental health supports, housing, and broader health and social services. The OACP supports this shift toward a recovery-centred approach as an important step toward a more comprehensive and integrated response to substance use across Ontario.

Strong governance, clear performance measures, and effective local partnerships are essential to ensure consistent implementation across urban, rural, northern, and underserved communities. From a policing perspective, community safety and well-being remain fundamental priorities, as police services continue to respond to addiction-related crises involving risks to individuals and the public, alongside associated criminal activity and public disorder.

The OACP remains committed to supporting a coordinated system of care that strengthens prevention, treatment, recovery, and harm-reduction efforts, and to providing evidence-informed advice that enhances collaboration among municipalities, health partners, community organizations, and police services.

With strong oversight and coordinated partnerships, Ontario can advance recovery-focused solutions that support vulnerable individuals while maintaining safe, healthy, and resilient communities across the province.

Chief Tim Farquharson

Port Hope Police Service

OACP Police Operations Pillar Lead

Deputy Chief Natalie Hiltz

Greater Sudbury Police Service

OACP Substance Advisory Committee Co-Chair

Superintendent Ahmad Salhia

York Regional Police

OACP Substance Advisory Committee Co-Chair