"It was a perfect storm": Perspectives on the closure of a CTS and harm reduction shelter following a crisis

In this presentation, we will provide an overview of the attached report "It was a perfect storm," presenting research on the experiences and perspectives of service providers, policymakers, organizational leaders, and advocates during the closure of a Consumption and Treatment Service (CTS) and harm reduction focused shelter following a community crisis in a mid-sized city in Ontario, Canada in 2024-2025. We explore the ways in which responses to this incident, and the perspectives and observations of participants reveal deep divisions in this community related to homelessness and substance use. We situate our findings in the context of a growing problem of homelessness in Canada, how it has influenced our perspectives on these issues, and recent policy shifts focused on controlling the behaviours of unhoused people in our communities. These policy shifts have taken the form of ongoing encampment evictions and the imposition of pressures to close CTS services in the…