Kitchener's interim supervised consumption site expected to open in 4 weeks

The interim supervised consumption site in Kitchener is expected to open in four weeks.

Hsiu-Li Wang,the region's associate medical officer of health, gave an update on the work being done to open the site during the region's community services committee meeting on Tuesday.

"The lease has beenfinalized and work to renovate the space is already underway," Wang told councillors.

While renovations are expected to take four weeks, Wang said they believe they'll have an opening date within the next two weeks. When that's known, councillors will be told.

The region had hoped to open the site in September. The region has received approval from Health Canada for an exemption to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act in order to allow people who attend the site to use illegal drugs.

The supervised consumption site is going at 150 Duke St. W., near Kitchener's city hall. It is the first supervised consumption and treatment site in Waterloo region.

"That is such good news,"Coun. Elizabeth Clarke, who chairs the community services committee, told Wang and councillors.

Regional Chair Karen Redman also thanked staff for their work on opening the site.

"This has been heavy slogging, everything's taken longer than we anticipated," she said.

The region is still waiting onword from the province for funding a permanent site.Wang saidthe province continues to "actively review this file."

The region continues to work with officials in Cambridge to find a location for a supervised consumption site.