Health Committee on Dec. 4th, 2023

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

I can look at supervised safe consumption sites, for example. Since Insite opened, 20 years ago, how many people have died at a safe consumption site?

[Jennifer Saxe]

We have data on federally authorized supervised consumption sites. We issue exemptions as well, so provinces and territories can set up their own urgent public health need sites, often known as overdose prevention sites.

My understanding is that there has been one death at a B.C. overdose prevention site, but apart from that, I am not aware of any deaths at any federally authorized supervised consumption sites or any other overdose prevention sites.

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

It would sure be hard to keep track of how many lives have been saved, but we know it's in the tens of thousands.

Lethbridge closed their supervised consumption site in 2020. They had 77 deaths last year, in the whole year. Already, by August 31 this year, they had 94.

Do you believe that the closure of their supervised consumption site is contributing to the cause of death in Lethbridge, Alberta?

[Jennifer Saxe]

I can say that supervised consumption sites are absolutely a life-saving service, and we have data around that.

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

Would you call that a failed policy?

[Jennifer Saxe]

Again, I think having a suite of services, including harm reduction measures like supervised consumption sites, has been shown to save lives.

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

I think the numbers speak for themselves: 94 people have died. By August they had already surpassed last year.

How much time do I have, Mr. Chair?

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

None, but you have time to answer, Ms. Saxe.

[Jennifer Saxe]

I think I've provided the response. It is really the importance of having that suite of measures, including harm reduction measures, that save lives. Supervised consumption sites are one of several evidence-based harm reduction actions that can do so.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Thank you, Ms. Saxe.

We'll have Mr. Doherty, please, for five minutes.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Of the overdose deaths that we know of, do we know, through autopsies, how many of those drug users tested positive for fentanyl? What's the percentage?

[Jennifer Saxe]

I think I mentioned earlier—and it varies for each year—that over 80% involves fentanyl.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Probably 90% is the number that I know of.

There have been 38,000 deaths since 2016. Would it be safe to say that, because of the stigma surrounding drug use and addictions, the number is likely considerably higher? Also, in the population base, there's homelessness and what have you, so those numbers.... How many of those deaths go unreported?

[Jennifer Saxe]

I would say that's the best data we have.

Certainly, our Public Health Agency colleagues work with coroner services in provinces and territories across the country to collect that data.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Again, I realize it's hypothetical, but it's feasible to believe that the number is likely quite a bit higher.

You all know the work that I do in mental health. We know that suicide numbers are likely higher because of the stigma surrounding that. Many of those deaths go unreported.

Could the same be said of these overdoses?

[Jennifer Saxe]

It's the best data that we have.

It is possible that there are additional deaths.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

This is for Ms. Saxe or anybody else here. I'd like a short answer again. Of the billions of dollars we're spending—the government recently announced upwards of $20 billion of spending through the substance use and addictions program—what percentage of that money is going to data collection?

[Jennifer Saxe]

Data is collected through a variety of different—

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Specifically regarding that money there, what's the percentage that's going to data?

[Jennifer Saxe]

In budget 2023, I can specifically speak to the fact that we're investing more than $50.8 million over five years, starting in 2023, to the Public Health Agency, as well as for vital data collection.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

How much of that money is being spent on recovery?

[Jennifer Saxe]

Recovery is part of a suite of services and supports that are provided, so there are transfers we have made to provinces and territories. As you know, health services are largely delivered by provinces and territories, and so—

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Would you agree with me, though, that the billion dollars we've spent to date fighting this crisis isn't working? If we don't have a targeted approach with this $20 billion and we're just throwing more money at an issue, you are going to be before this committee in another year, two years or three years with the same issues.

[Jennifer Saxe]

There are areas where.... Data and evidence are absolutely critical to understanding what is effective and what is working best or not, and I think Dr. Weiss spoke to specific details around some of the areas where we are collecting that data—

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

What are the metrics being used by the Public Health Agency of Canada to gauge the success of the programs we have?