A petition calling for Hamilton City Council to designate public libraries as safe drug consumption sites will be debated at the upcoming meeting of Hamilton’s Public Health Sub-Committee.
The 115 signatories want the City of Hamilton to create and fund ‘safe drug consumption sites’ outside Hamilton’s public libraries.
The petition requests that the City install heated shelters, similar to those used for bus stops, outside libraries to reduce indoor drug use. It states that there should be “no cameras” monitoring these spaces because trained staff should be present at all times.
The petition states that the City should begin at the Central, Barton, and Red Hill branches.
It also calls for increasing the “availability of social services AT” libraries. [Petition’s emphasis.]
The provincial government closed Hamilton’s supervised consumption site as part of a province-wide policy change to implement treatment-focused HART sites, which Premier Doug Ford says will better assist people to get supports towards permanent housing and to address addictions.
Petitioner Tyler Dhaliwal will delegate and present the petition to the committee.
The Committee will meet on Monday, April 28, 2025, beginning at 9:30 a.m.
Public correspondence can be sent to clerks@hamilton.ca, or delegation requests made on the City website, until 12:00 noon on Friday.
Addendum:
Ward 2 Councillor Cameron Kroetsch, who chairs the Public Health Sub-Committee, posted to Facebook this evening to state the petitioners have the right to delegate to Council, and that the petition is included in the agenda package “so everyone could see it.”
“It’s there for information, not for approval, just so the citizen members of the Sub-Committee didn’t have trouble finding it. I did this to ensure it was accessible and easy to find and for no other reason,” he writes.
The petition is captured in the image below.
Production Details
v. 1.0.0
Published: April 23, 2025
Last updated: April 23, 2025
Author: Joey Coleman
Update Record
v. 1.0.0 original version
v. 1.1.0 added Facebook comments posted by Clr Kroetsch
Seriously? Everyone made a fuss before over consumption sites being open too close to schools, some which were then closed… but now it’s ok to open them close to libraries? Hypocrisy much?
Is our city council going to prioritize the drug addicts over our children, again?!
And the city wonders why the residents of Hamilton don’t trust our council.
It’s a disgrace that our council is wasting time on this proposal. I’m not ok with my tax dollars being squandered on such non sensical and ridiculous attempts to endanger public safety and to perpetuate someone’s addiction and illness.
The city is a mess, hasn’t council got better things to do than entertain this ridiculous idea?
Hi Rob,
Understandable sentiment. This is a ‘controversial’ delegation that is at the edge, or even outside, the Overton window on this topic.
Council needs to, to paraphrase, ‘waste time’ on hearing from a resident who is petitioning them on any issue.
Following the delegate’s five minutes, the committee can simply thank the delegate and do nothing further.
(Please excuse my usual freedom of expression / right to seek redress in a democracy soapbox speech.)
The ability of those we disagree with to speak is insurance that we can speak when others disagree with us.
I would be deeply concerned if Council outright denied a delegation (with some extremely narrow exceptions for jurisdiction, repetitiveness, and/or vexatiousness measured at a very high standard) because they disagree with the viewpoint.
I’ve steadfastly upheld the Charter rights of those most commonly referred to as “anti-vaxxers” to sit in the Council Chamber holding their signs. I’ve had those signs in my face [the claim that journalists should be put to trial] and had a few of them express [in a peaceful manner] their viewpoints against my wearing a face mask.
That’s democracy.
We’ll see what happens on Monday. I do not expect any elected officials to support this petition.
This is great, I can finally smoke weed in the library!
This petition is so brilliant, it’s like saying, “Hey, let’s fight fire… with more fire, but make sure everyone has a library card first!” I can just picture the scene: “Excuse me, could you keep it down? Some of us are trying to overdose quietly in the non-fiction section.” Maybe they can even offer “story time” with a special guest speaker on the dangers of… well, you know. And I’m sure the librarians will now have “trained overdose response” listed right under “shushing unruly patrons” in their job description. This isn’t a solution; it’s a plotline for a very dark comedy.
What is happening Hamilton?
A place to raise your family you say? We’ve lost our parks, we’ve lost our rights as tax paying citizens, my property gets stolen or damaged, my children can NOT be outside because of the crack/meth/fentanyl heads wandering around, YES please make libraries an awful place too…. why not just set up on school playgrounds, lots of space there
This city is absolutely disgusting and an embarrasment. If the opportunity arises, I will leave in a heart beat….. My hometown of Hamilton does not feel the same
This has to be one of the most ill-conceived ideas I have ever heard of. Libraries are for learning and are not there to give refuge for drug users. Whoever thought this idea up should give their head a shake. Could you imagine your child going to the library standing next to a guy waiting to get his next fix? I do not agree with this at all and think it is utterly foolish.
Lets make a place where minors have easy access to drugs. Definitely bad idea.
I fully recognize the importance of providing safe consumption sites for individuals who need them, and I support harm reduction efforts that prioritize safety, dignity, and access to support.
However, I strongly disagree with the proposal to use public libraries—particularly those frequented by families and children—as locations for these sites.
As a parent, I should not have to explain to my 8- and 12-year-old children why people are using drugs on the sidewalk outside a library, nor should they be exposed to the trauma of witnessing someone overdose in a space meant for learning, creativity, and community. Libraries play a vital role in our communities and should remain safe, inclusive environments for all, especially young children.
I have personally administered naloxone to individuals in crisis, and I deeply empathize with the reality of addiction. I support safe consumption sites—but in appropriate settings, staffed by trained professionals and designed specifically for that purpose. Libraries, especially central branches with extensive maker spaces and children’s programming, are not suitable venues.
Let’s support those in need without compromising the safety and purpose of public spaces meant to educate, uplift, and bring communities together.
As a neighbor of Central Library/collateral damage I can confirm points six and seven.
This is a terrible idea for the reasons the other commenters have pointed out.
So sick of these do-gooders who don’t think (or care) about the harm they cause.