INSIDE THE VILLAGE: Who should foot the bill for safe consumption sites?

​Welcome back to Inside the Village, a one-of-a-kind podcast where all news is local — and no topic is off-limits.

On this week's episode: Who should fund safe consumption sites?

Despite the stigma that still exists, there is no question that supervised consumption sites save lives. Research has shown they lower the risk of accidental overdoses, reduce the spread of infectious diseases, and provide a starting point for drug users looking for treatment and withdrawal services.

But in two northern Ontario cities — Sudbury and Timmins — fear is mounting over the future of their safe consumption sites, with funding set to expire at the end of the year.

In both cases, the city is currently funding the operations as officials wait for word on whether the provincial government will provide permanent dollars. That answer has yet to come, and the clock is ticking.

Our guest this week is Amber Fritz, the site manager for Sudbury's safe consumption site, known as "The Spot."

Hosted by Scott Sexsmith and Michael Friscolanti, the Editor-in-Chief of Village Media, Inside the Village is a news and current affairs podcast that provides a weekly window into some of the best local journalism from across our chain of Ontario newsrooms. Produced by Derek Turner, the program also explores bigger-picture issues that impact people across the province.

Every episode is available HERE. If you prefer the audio version, it is available wherever you find your favourite podcasts.

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