Overdoses are climbing sharply in Toronto, and frontline workers say the March closure of several supervised consumption sites is a key driver.

Fred Alvarado — Local Journalism Initiative

In Regent Park, the Bevel Up harm reduction site once offered a critical safety net. Now, staff at local drop-ins are on the front lines of a crisis that is growing by the month. According to the Toronto Drop-In Network—representing more than 50 organizations—overdoses inside drop-in spaces have nearly tripled in just three months.

The numbers tell a grim story: in April, overdoses rose 75%. By May, the increase reached 175%. In June, the spike hit 288%—all within centres meant to offer food, warmth, and community support.

Drop-in staff are doing everything they can: administering naloxone, calling paramedics, and working to keep people alive. But advocates stress these spaces were never designed to replace the medical oversight and harm reduction services provided by supervised consumption sites.

The province’s new HART hub model, intended as an alternative, falls short of matching that level of support, according to the Network.

Community members warned closures would cost lives. Now, with the crisis deepening, Regent Park and other neighbourhoods are calling for urgent action to restore life-saving services. Because for many, the difference between policy and survival is only a matter of minutes.