Windsor may soon see a physical site for safe consumption in the battle against opioid abuse.

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit and its partners in the Windsor-Essex Community Opioid and Substance Strategy (WECOSS) have put out a Request for Expressions of Interest for a space to house a future safe consumption site.

Safe consumption facilities, which are officials known as Consumption Treatment and Services (CTS) sites, offer clients integrated wrap-around services such as counselling and primary care. Opioid-dependency treatment and other services are also offered, in addition to providing a safer space for people to consume their substances, according to a release by the health unit.

Health unit CEO Theresa Marentette said it has been gathering information from those in the community who use substances, as well as other municipalities where CTSs are located. For the health unit to complete an application, it needs to determine a potential site.

“We have progressed as far as we can in completing the application, the next step is to determine a suitable space so that we can provide the provincial and federal governments with detailed information on the physical space,” said Marentette.

Marentette said she is hopeful that the request for expressions of interest will yield a lot of applications, and the health unit will then hold a community consultation to discuss the potential site and address any concerns about it.

The request document can be accessed here. Interested parties are also invited to attend a virtual information session on Friday, August 28, and are asked to RSVP by Wednesday.