Pubdate: Fri, 18 Jan 2008
Source: Toronto Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2008, Canoe Limited Partnership.
Contact:  http://torontosun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/457
Author: Sharon Lem, Sun Media
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange)

VANITY PLATES NEEDLE COUNCIL MEMBERS

The Toronto Public Health needle exchange program has  three vans on
the road and each one has a personalized  vanity licence plate,
angering some councillors who  view it as a waste of taxpayers' money.

"It's ridiculous," Councillor Rob Ford said. "The  vanity plates are
another example of a complete waste  of taxpayers' money. Why are we
paying for people's  home delivery of needles anyways? It's absurd and
  appalling, if you ask me."

Councillor Doug Holyday said in other departments "they  differentiate
vehicles like Toronto parks, fire trucks  and buses by a code number
on the vehicle. It's a far  less expensive way of identifying vehicles
and that  system works for everyone else."

Shaun Hopkins, manager of The Works, the needle  exchange program run
by Toronto Public Health, said the  vanity plates were purchased at
least 10 years ago.

The three vans have personalized licence plates  displaying: WORKS1,
WORKS2, WORKS3.

"We may have paid $100 each for them back then as a  one-time expense.
They were purchased so people in our  target population would know
what the van was for,"  Hopkins said.

Hopkins said the vans used to be low-key and it was a  way to help
their target population feel comfortable  flagging down the correct
vehicle. Since then, the vans  have been changed and there's extensive
identification  on the doors.

"We have new vans, but we took the old plates off the  old ones and
put them on the new vans and keep renewing  the sticker on the licence
plate," Hopkins said.

The Works' mandate is to prevent the spread of  communicable disease
in drug users and sex trade  workers. Services include distribution of
needles and  other safer drug use materials, condoms and testing for
diseases and illnesses.
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MAP posted-by: Steve Heath