With the number of disposed needles, syringes, and other ‘sharps’ on the rise in Orillia’s public spaces, city council has approved a series of sharps disposal containers to be installed at various locations throughout the city.
Since 2019, the city has reported more than 240 sharps around the community, and the numbers have climbed dramatically in recent years, with 20 sharps reported in 2020, 48 in 2021, 94 in 2022, and 76 to date in 2023.
Currently, the city’s only sharps disposal containers are at the Orillia Public Library, but council approved an additional 15 containers to be installed around the city at Monday’s meeting, as follows:
- Two year-round containers at Orillia City Centre;
- Three year-round containers at Orillia Recreation Centre;
- One year-round container at Rotary Place;
- One year-round container at Brian Orser Arena;
- Two year-round containers at Barnfield Point Recreation Centre;
- Two year-round containers at Orillia Waterfront Centre;
- One seasonal container at Celebration Plaza washrooms;
- One seasonal container at Moose Beach washrooms;
- One seasonal container at West Orillia Sports Complex washrooms;
- One seasonal container at Couchiching Park washrooms; and
- Updating the seven containers at the Orillia Public Library, for a total of 22 sharps containers throughout the city
Council approved $8,100 for the purchase, installation, and management of the containers, with $4,000 for collection next year referred to the 2024 budget deliberations.
The usage of the containers will be monitored across all facilities over time to ensure effectiveness, city staff explained.
“This would be the first such program to be considered in this manner and will continue to be monitored and evaluated by staff to determine its effectiveness over time,” said Renee Recoskie, the city's director of facilities, climate change, and operations.
At Monday’s meeting, Coun. Tim Lauer made note of the “pretty shocking numbers” of sharps being recovered, and he questioned who, exactly, these containers were meant for.
“We're obviously seeing a bit of change in the streetscape these days in activities, what's going on with our beaches, things like that, in our parks. Do we expect this program is going to address any of that, or is this for law-abiding users of sharps?” Lauer asked.
“When it comes to harm reduction or prevention activities, it is certainly that challenge that we face in terms of where you make these types of containers accessible,” replied Recoskie.
“From what we can tell, from working closely with the health unit and other municipalities in this sphere, is that installing these types of devices and collection containers is a best practice, is a first step towards taking action on this concern, and it's also addressing health and safety risks for those staff in those areas, as well.”
Coun. Jay Fallis questioned whether any of the sharps containers would be located outside. Recoskie said one container will be located outside, by the washrooms at the Orillia Waterfront Centre.
In 2020, Fallis was not successful, during budget deliberations, in achieving support from his colleagues to spend $1,600 to install sharps bins at two parks.
