Local Business on Safe Consumption Site: Bohemia coffee

Over the past week, a CBC and the Globe and Mail featured Barrie in their coverage of the toxic drug supply crisis. 

CBC’s John Rieti shared the current state of the crisis to a wider audience in an investigative written piece: that includes a video from a 2020 Downtown BIA meeting which has since been widely criticized by advocates, health care workers and local politicians for its classist and derogatory language. 

A local advocacy group, Supervised Consumption Saves Lives, is holding a vigil for those who have lost their lives to the toxic drug suply tonight (learn more here).

Many local businesses say the Downtown BIA seems to be ignoring their voices in the conversation around an SCS service in downtown Barrie. We wanted to talk to those businesses. 

For Jill Dyck, the owner of Bohemia, a coffee shop on Dunlop St, the need for an SCS is clear. She agrees with health experts who say an supervised consumption sites are known to keep drug use off the streets 

What isn’t clear, she says, is why business owners and big name developers get a say in how our city handles an urgent health crisis that is causing the deaths of downtown Barrie residents. 

Sam Gillett was not able to get Downtown Barrie BIA representatives on camera. Here’s an emailed statement from the BIA:

“The Downtown Barrie BIA understands the impact the opioid crisis is having on our city. We have seen the data and we know our members witness related issues firsthand daily. The opioid issue affects those with addictions, as well as our community’s first responders, business owners, and residents.

This is why we have joined the Site Selection Advisory Committee and are working collaboratively with the health experts and other stakeholders to ensure all options for an SCS are considered so the best choice for Barrie is made. The Downtown Barrie BIA is not opposing a SCS and has actually previously supported a proposed SCS location at 90 Mulcaster that was ultimately rejected following further community consultation.”

For facts about SCS: https://www.simcoemuskokahealth.org/Topics/Drugs/opioids/Supervised-consumption-sites