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525 Simpson Street, Thunder Bay, ON P7C 3J6

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Path 525

Safe Consumption & Treatment Services

NorWest Community Health Centres opened its doors to Path 525 – a “small scale” overdose prevention service – in 2018.

Path 525, consumption and treatment services (CTS), provides clients with a safe place to consume illicit drugs. The service offers safe consumption education, harm reduction supplies and overdose response. Consumption is supervised by a Registered Nurse.

Harm Reduction Workers and Registered Nurses are onsite to connect clients to the community resources they need such as housing, mental health and addiction services, primary health care and more.

NorWest Community Health Centres is proud to offer this service and to play an important role in responding to the opioid crisis in our communities.

This service is discreetly located within the existing organizations space. There is no change to the exterior of the building. OPS space can be accessed by a separate entrance near the corner of Simpson and Heron Street. The service is staffed at all times by a nurse and harm reduction worker.

This free, safe and confidential service will be offered in Path525 from 6pm – 8pm with the last sample being tested at 7:45pm. Completed in 10 minutes or less with 5mg sample using our micro-scoop is all we need. We can find out the content of a drug sample including trace amounts of fentanyl analogues and benzodiazepines.

FAQ About Path 525

What Is The Purpose Of Path 525?
  • Provide a safe place to consume illicit drugs
  • Reduce harm by providing access to harm reduction supplies
  • Increase engagement with individuals that would other wise not seek access to care
  • Provide timely access to overdose response
  • Reduce impact on emergency services
Will Path 525 Increase Crime In Our Neighbourhood?
Consumption and Treatment Services do not contribute to more crime. In fact, studies of the impact of this type of service find that occurrences of things like theft, vehicle break in’s, drug use in public spaces and alleyways tend to decrease after the services are established. It also reduces the number of discarded needles in the neighbourhood.
What Does This Mean For Thunder Bay?
Visitors to Path 525 receive life-saving services, as well as connections to treatment, primary care, housing, food and other supports.

Thunder Bay’s Path 525 serves a need our community desperately needs. With these services we anticipate that we will see a decrease in drug injections in public spaces, we will see fewer syringes discarded in the streets, and an increase to public safety. As Path 525 staff are able to provide overdose interventions, they lighten the burden for emergency rooms.

Location And Hours

NorWest Community Health Centres
525 Simpson Street – Basement
T: (807) 626-8518

Monday-Sunday from 10:00am – 6:00pm

Extended hours for drug checking services on Thursday’s from 6:00pm – 8:00pm

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