TORONTO – Ontario is set to study how it can introduce involuntary addictions treatment for people involved in the correctional system.
The Canadian Press has learned that the government will make that announcement today, as it sets out new justice measures that will be contained in a bill being tabled later in the day.
Two senior government sources who were not authorized to share the news yet publicly say the province intends to mandate treatment for people with addictions in jail, on probation and on parole.
The sources say officials will now look into how this can be done, how much it would cost, what sort of help they would need from the federal government to enact those measures, and consider lessons learned from other jurisdictions.
They say the ministry intends to present a plan to cabinet by this fall with a plan and options.
The sources say Ontario is looking more to the model in British Columbia, which includes involuntary addictions treatment for people with simultaneous mental health challenges, rather than Alberta’s more sweeping approach.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s government recently tabled legislation that would allow parents, family members, health-care professionals, police or peace officers to apply for a treatment order. People using substances and deemed a risk to themselves or others could be apprehended by police and ordered into treatment in a secure facility for up to three months, with the possibility of six months in community-based treatment, under the bill.
British Columbia last week announced the opening of a 10-unit facility for involuntary treatment of people already in custody at the Surrey Pretrial Centre, and a second such facility is on the way.
In Ontario, more than 2,600 people died in 2023 from opioids, the last full year of data available, which marks a 50 per cent increase in deaths compared to 2019.
The sources say that as of February 2024, about 48 per cent of inmates had substance use alerts on their profiles. About 28 per cent of inmates are voluntarily on prescribed opioid agonist therapy, the sources said.
Several mayors have pushed the province to enact sweeping involuntary treatment legislation as a way to deal with homeless encampments in public parks.
The province is undertaking a fundamental shift in its approach to addiction and homelessness. It has closed down nine supervised consumption sites under a law that bans them within 200 metres of a school or daycare. Jones has said they are closing the sites due to safety concerns, especially to protect children.
One consumption site challenged the law in court, arguing it was unconstitutional because people will die as a result. A judge heard the case in late March and will release his decision in the coming months.
The province is instead opening up abstinence-based homeless hubs and expanding treatment beds, which are in short supply.
Advocates have long opposed involuntary treatment, saying it rarely works and treatment is significantly more successful when someone is ready to quit, but needs professional help to do so.
On Tuesday, the province re-introduced encampment legislation that died in February when Premier Doug Ford called a snap election.
It includes the province’s plan to spend $70 million to build more than 1,200 housing units and nearly 1,000 shelter spots for those living in encampments. Ontario will also increase trespass fines that would target homeless people who live in parks.
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