Online survey seeks community feedback about proposed supervised consumption site in Barrie

Barrie community members are being asked to share their opinions regarding an application for a supervised consumption site (SCS) in the city.

According to a news release issued by the Simcoe Muskoka Opioid Strategy (SMOS), beginning on Tuesday, residents can share their thoughts about an SCS application for Barrie by filling out an online survey.

In January, SMOS announced that an application for an SCS in Barrie was underway.

As a part of the application process, SMOS said a series of public consultations would be conducted to determine how to develop a site in the city.

“The public consultations are an important part of the application process for an SCS, now under way,” the release reads. “Consultations help to ensure the ideas and concerns of the community are addressed and that the services meet the needs of people who use drugs as well as the broader community.”

The survey is voluntary and anonymous, and aims to learn what the community thinks about the site proposed for Barrie.

The application for an SCS in Barrie is one part of the SMOS’s multi-pillar action plan to address the growing opioid crisis.

“SCSs are a harm reduction service, aimed at keeping people who use drugs alive and safe, even if they continue to use drugs,” the release reads. “They offer the opportunity for people to get treatment for addictions if they are ready, and offer clients education and referral to other health and social services.”

They can also help the broader community by decreasing public drug injections and publicly discarded needles, the release says.

Residents have until March 25 to fill out the online survey.

Community members are also invited to attend an open house on March 20 at Barrie City Hall from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., for more information about the SCS application in Barrie.