Katie Griffin, CTV Ottawa, reported on August 19th, 2025. She disclosed that one Ottawa councillor has gone public with serious doubts about the accuracy of crime statistics being used by Ontario’s health minister. This question comes on the heels of the closure of a local supervised consumption space. This unfortunate event has set off a conflagration of discussions related to public safety and health policy, here in our capital city.
The article, published at 6:35 PM EDT on CTV News Ottawa, details how the councillor is questioning the validity of the crime data that influenced the decision to shut down the facility. The councillor adamantly insists that the crime statistics which have been reported don’t reflect the reality of crime in the neighborhood. Consequently, she contends that they are inappropriate to guide such a consequential public health decision.
In her report, Griffin details the most significant ramifications of shutting down the supervised consumption site. This well-fought decision is an important victory for the local community. Proponents of harm reduction see these types of facilities as creating a safe environment to support people with addictions. They claim that these sites are central to fighting overdose deaths and achieving better public health outcomes.
The health minister strongly defends the closure, calling it a key. This was due to an increase in crime around the consumption site, and it created a need for such. The councillor and other local officials question the validity of these figures. They feel like the data has been spun to serve political goals.
Griffin’s piece goes beyond that, to explore a dangerous and deadly local reality. It paints a rich picture of the complexities of crime data and what submits to the impact of health care services within Ottawa. The councillor’s challenge to the health minister underscores a growing concern among residents about transparency and accountability in government decision-making processes.
You can view the full piece on the CTV News Ottawa website. It is the latest in a series focusing on critical issues affecting the Ottawa community. While discussions concerning the nation’s public health and safety are at a fevered pitch, this ongoing controversy underscores the terrible need for fact-based data and prudent governance.
