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When walking around the intersection of Queen and Bathurst, it's impossible not to notice the large number of people struggling with homelessness and drug addiction.

Residents claim that the area attracts this demographic because of two harm reduction programs operating at this intersection. The Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre distributes drug paraphernalia, such as pipes, needles, and syringes, free of charge.

Directly across the street, West Neighbourhood House also operates a harm reduction program that distributes the same supplies for drug use. 

The primary goal of these programs is to prevent the spread of infectious diseases and reduce overdose deaths.

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Many businesses in the area have closed, which locals say is due, in part, to the drug activity. Teams of people walk around collecting needles and other items left behind by users.

At nearby Alexandra Park, we saw large groups of people gathered, with some openly holding pipes. Just a short distance away, a summer camp for children was taking place.

Critics of harm reduction argue that the normalization of drug use is only making the problem worse, with increasing numbers of people struggling with addiction on the streets of Toronto.

We reached out to both harm reduction programs mentioned above, as well as local city councillor Ausma Malik, for their perspective on the situation. As of publication, none had responded.

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