Pubdate: Mon, 06 Apr 2015
Source: Chronicle-Journal, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2015 The Chronicle-Journal
Contact: http://www2.chroniclejournal.com/contact/editorial/letters
Website: http://www.chroniclejournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3155
Author: Michael Robinson
Page: A1

DRUG CLINIC CAUSING SOME JITTERS

Business Owners Are Concerned About the Location of Thunder Bay's 
Newest Methadone Clinic.

The Ontario Addiction Treatment Centre's website lists the facility 
as "opening soon" at 843 Red River Rd. in a strip mall between Junot 
Avenue and Clarkson Street. Three similar clinics are operated by the 
treatment centre across the city to help patients break their opioid addiction.

The new clinic arrives just as the city's first-ever treatment centre 
closes. Lakeview Methadone Clinic, which was first opened in 2004 by 
St. Joseph's Care Group, was shut down on Tuesday.

"It was a decision made as a result of the changing climate in 
community access to methadone treatment," said Nancy Black, director 
of concurrent disorders at St. Joseph's. The city has developed one 
of the highest concentrations of methadone clinics in the entire province.

Including the new Red River Road location, seven clinics will serve 
the city's nearly 10,000 person population. In comparison, Toronto, 
with a population of about 2.5 million, lists 11 methadone clinics.

The surge in treatment centres mirrors a trend occurring throughout 
the province. According to the Centre for Addiction and Mental 
Health, the number of people receiving methadone maintenance 
treatment in Ontario has increased sharply in recent years, from 
6,000 in 2000 to 38,000 in 2012. Billing to OHIP for 
methadone-related treatment peaked at $107 million in 2013.

Methadone is a synthetic, long-acting narcotic that can be legally 
used to wean addicts off drugs such as heroin and also prescription 
opioids, such as oxycodone (now replaced by OxyNEO), fentayl and hyromorphone.

Generally, users in these medication-assisted therapy programs take 
an oral dose of either methadone or buprenorphine-naloxone daily that 
negates physical withdrawal, reduces cravings, and fails to provide a 
euphoric high.

Yet despite this legal therapy, prejudice against recovering addicts 
remains common, said Anne Ostrom, acting co-ordinator of the Thunder 
Bay Drug Strategy.

Prejudice against recovering addicts remains common: drug strategy 
official these clinics are on the road to get well, there are a 
number of people who are dealing with opioid dependency because of 
previous, legal prescriptions," she said. "Not every one of them has 
a history of criminal behaviour."

That is why she stresses accessibility is vital to enhance the 
success of methadone programs. "Thunder Bay is very spread out and 
when people first start on this regiment, they need to visit the 
clinic everyday," Ostrom said. "Having a clinic on a bus route and/or 
reachable by various neighbourhoods means more patients will stick 
with the program.

"Like with any medication, the less barriers there are to taking it, 
the more likely the patient will stay on track."

But while Red River Ward Coun. Brian McKinnon acknowledges the city's 
needs for methadone clinics, he disagrees that one should be placed 
in a primarily residential area, especially within one kilometre of 
schools and senior residences.

"Obviously these facilities are necessary, but I think they need to 
be in places where the general public won't feel intimidated," he 
said, referencing phone calls he's received from concerned citizens 
on the matter. "This is a private organization that is going to be 
supplying methadone and if you have 100 of those people going in 
there a day you can guess what the situation is going to be.

"I'm not very happy with this . . . it's not a good situation."

Yet, there isn't much anyone can do. The City of Thunder Bay's 
planning division does not specifically restrict where methadone 
clinics can be located. So far, the tenancy is fair game. 
"Unfortunately it's the zoning that allows this," McKinnon added. 
"It's going to be difficult to fight City Hall on this one."

Despite the controversial nature of the business, the clinic is 
interpreted by city planners as a medical office. There is no 
sub-category for methadone dispensaries within the zoning byaw (No. 
100-2010), according to city planner Robert Eady.

"Wherever a medical office is allowed, methadone clinics are also 
allowed," Eady said. "And that piece of property (at 843 Red River 
Rd.) permits medical offices."

The zoning criteria is in line with the Ontario Human Rights 
Commission, which has expressed concern that several municipalities 
have been unfair in restricting the establishment of methadone clinics.

The commission describes methadone clients as "a highly stigmatized 
group" and behaviours often attributed to them are based on addiction 
stereotypes. Therefore, limiting the location of where methadone 
dispensing clinics can setup shop can be considered a human rights violation.

But after speaking with nearly every business owner in the mall, The 
Chronicle-Journal has learned the majority of tenants are up in arms, 
anxious to put a stop to the clinic's installation.

"I have young girls closing my store at night," said Christina 
Edmunds, owner of Pet-Tastic. "I'll probably have to keep more staff 
here in the evenings and won't be able to have a single person close 
the store."

Edmunds and other local business owners quoted in this story are 
taking issue primarily with the crowd they believe the clinic will attract.

"I am devastated . . . it is a death sentence for the mall," said 
Brenda Kelly, who has operated her family hair salon at the strip 
mall for the past 34 years. Kelly added she has experience with 
addicts and believes some are going to the clinic for what she 
described as "free drugs."

Fabutan employee Mikayla Pepe also expressed nervousness, but was 
willing to compromise.

"If the building managers let a methadone clinic move in here, then 
they should also set up security cameras or hire someone who can 
safely walk us to our cars at the end of our shift," she said, 
explaining that all of Fabutan's staff are women. "Plus, there is 
only one staff person at the store per shift."

Matthew Nystrom, who co-owns Nystrom Denture Clinic with his brother 
Matt, acknowledged it was hard to form a prior judgement on such a 
sensitive and controversial issue.

"I've been in Thunder Bay my whole life so I am no stranger to 
methadone . . . I actually learned a bit about it in denture school 
and how it destroys teeth," said Nystrom. "So maybe I'll have more clients."

"My biggest disappointment really is that the building's owners never 
told us about them." Yet, landlords aren't required to disclose who a 
new tenant is, said the mall's owner, Kevin Salsberg, executive 
vice-president of property management firm Plaza Retail Reit.

"We don't need to ask tenant permission nor do we need to seek their 
approval," he said. "That is the normal course of action in this business.

"I can confirm we are hearing loud and clear that this is a concern 
of (the tenants) but we feel it's manageable and obviously, we'll 
address anything that comes up. We hope this will prove to be nothing."

In addition to the safety of their employees, operators have also 
claimed they are fearful for the future growth of their enterprise as 
well as nearby vulnerable populations.

These include the senior citizens who live in Red River Towers to the 
local neighbourhood school children.

"My partners and I chose this location for our family game and gift 
store because family residences and school zones surrounded it," said 
Hoyt Nowak, co-owner of Thunder Games and Gifts. "This is not the 
right place for an addiction treatment centre."

The Red River-based clinic will be located within one kilometre of 
the Thunder Bay Boys and Girls Club, and two schools: Hammarskjold 
High School and St. Pius X Elementary School. Yet, all of these 
organizations denied a safety concern exists.

"There is no real issue there," said Thunder Bay Catholic District 
School Board communications officer Michael Thompson, explaining that 
the school is not in immediate proximity to the clinic.

Executive director of the Boys and Girls Club, Albert Aiello, also 
suggested there was nothing to be afraid of. Kids are well supervised 
here," he said. "We also have a safe walkers program."

"The clinic is a good distance from the club, so it's not an issue 
yet," he said.

Lakehead District School Board spokesman Bruce Nugent declined to comment.

Meanwhile, the opening of methadone clinics in the city has not had 
an influence on crime rates in the area in which they are situated, 
according to Thunder Bay Police Service.

"We are aware of where the methadone clinics are located but this 
does not have any impact on how our officers are deployed or patrol 
in the city," said Const. Julie Tilbury in an email.

But not every mall tenant is opposed to the future neighbour.

"I think the clientele will reflect where the clinic is . . . perhaps 
some will be our own customers," said BioPed Orthotics clinic manager 
Mark Thomas. "There is no basis for me to conclude that these people 
are going to cause problems. I suspect that, unlike what people are 
assuming, that these people have families and are working or both. 
They can be our mothers or grandfathers. To me, it is just another 
medical clinic.

"I have no reason to be concerned."

Instead, Thomas's biggest worry revolves around something much more 
simple. "You know what my real concern is, where are they all going to park?"
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom