“I remember the community always complaining about finding needles on the street. We don’t hear that anymore.”
The city forgets that the
Parkdale Harm Reduction Program has been running for 25 years and is the oldest needle exchange program in Toronto. The city has an official policy on
harm reduction and
Parkdale Community Health Centre (PCHC) is one of many organizations working to reduce drug related harms in the GTA.
Staff and peer workers
work closely with people in the Parkdale community to provide safe injection and smoking kits, educational and support services on topics such as safer sex, safer drug use, Hepatitis C and HIV prevention.
PCHC runs a needle exchange, kit making program, and does peer outreach in the community. The
Parkdale Harm Reduction Program lost its municipal funding on April 26, 2014, but the centre is is committed to maintaining and even improving their Harm Reduction Programs which are a cornerstone of their Centre. As one peer said, “Hey, we are NOT closing.” On July 28th 2014, the Department
unveiled a commemorative
sign to honour harm reduction programming at
Parkdale Community Health Centre. As of 2015 the health centre has secured core funding for it’s harm reduction programming.
Harm Reduction in Toronto has a rich history. Will Toronto ever open a safe injection site?
Donate to harm reduction programming at Parkdale Community Health Centre.
Memory Archive View the Sign
