A member of Toronto's board of health says the city is trying to partially open at least one of three safe injection sites by the end of the week.
Coun. Joe Cressy says work is being done to open part of the site located in a city-owned facility ahead of its estimated completion date in the fall.
The effort comes after harm reduction workers have set up an unsanctioned safe injection site in a downtown Toronto park, saying the space is needed as the city grapples with a string of overdoses and suspected overdose deaths.
Last week, harm reduction workers said immediately opening interim drug use spaces would save lives while the city's three supervised injection sites were constructed.
Earlier this month, the city announced it was speeding up the opening of the three sites, as well as widening the distribution of the opioid overdose antidote naloxone to public health staff, community agencies and first responders.
It also asked local police to consider having some officers carry naloxone.