That the Corporate and Finance Services Committee recommend to City Council:
Whereas at its September 23, 2019 meeting, City Council provided the following direction:
“Investigate and if approved by Council, arrange for the training of all front line staff in the administering of naloxone during an opioid overdose; and,
Ensure the supply of and ready access to naloxone kits in all City of Oshawa facilities”; and,
Whereas in response to Report CORP-20-44, “Naloxone Training for City Staff and Naloxone Kits in City Facilities” dated November 20, 2020, which did not recommend training all front line staff in the administering of naloxone during opioid overdoses, the Corporate Services Committee provided the following direction at its November 30, 2020 meeting:
“That Report CORP-20-44 concerning Naloxone Training for City Staff and Naloxone Kits in City Facilities be referred back to staff for further investigation on optional training programs that can be offered to City staff with the assistance of community partners”; and,
Whereas in response to Report CORP-21-15, “Naloxone Training for City Staff” dated March 3, 2021 where staff recommended that the City develop and implement an opioid awareness training program for employees which will include education about the role of Naloxone, Council provided the following direction at its March 29, 2021 meeting:
“That Item CORP-21-15 concerning Naloxone training for City staff be referred to Legal Services to investigate the liability to the City if the program is implemented”; and,
Whereas there is no current legislative requirement mandating naloxone kits in City facilities for the purpose of being administered to a member of the public in the event of an opioid overdose, which obviates the need to establish an opioid awareness training program or provide naloxone training for City staff; City staff will, however, deploy Fire Services staff or a member of its contracted security provider, or contact Durham Regional Police Service to respond to an opioid overdose; and,
Whereas the Provincial government approved Ontario Regulation 559/22, “Naloxone Kits” (“O. Reg. 559/22”) amending the Occupational Health and Safety Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. O.1 (“Occupational Health and Safety Act”) whereby commencing on June 1, 2023, employers were now required to provide naloxone in some workplaces in case an employee or staff has an opioid overdose; and,
Whereas in response to O. Reg. 559/22, the Regional Municipality of Durham approved and issued its “Naloxone Administration Directive” on May 25, 2023 which provides direction on the placement/replacement, storage and use of naloxone kits in the event of one of its own staff having an opioid overdose and to outline the training requirements for Regional staff trained in First Aid and recognized as First Aid responders in locations where naloxone has been provided, to be trained in being able to respond to a suspected opioid overdose in the workplace, and to administer naloxone; and,
Whereas in response to O. Reg. 559/22 and upon consultation with the City’s Manager, Health, Safety and Wellness, the City undertook a workplace risk assessment and determined that the City was not required to have naloxone kits at its facilities to be administered to its staff;
Therefore be it resolved that the Item concerning “Administration of Naloxone Kits by City Staff” be removed from the Corporate and Finance Services Committee’s Outstanding Items List.