Pubdate: Fri, 23 May 2008
Source: Barrhaven This Week (CN ON)
Copyright: 2008 Ottawa Region Media Group
Contact:  http://www.runge.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4767

CITY NEEDLE PICK-UP PROGRAM TO INCREASE

Efforts to pick up discarded needles in Ottawa got at least a 
$100,000 boost at city council last week. The city had originally 
requested $200,000 of provincial money to increase efforts to 
clean-up needles discarded by drug users on streets and in parks.

The needles are a danger for residents because of the potential of 
transmittable diseases such as HIV. At the council meeting, deputy 
city manager for community and protective services Steve Kanellakos 
announced he had found $100,000 in his department's budget which 
would be reallocated to the clean-up efforts.

The city will now ask the province to match the city's contribution.

"If the money is not matched, we'll do as much as we can with 
$100,000," Kanellakos said.

Kanellakos found the money from the medical examiner's salary, which 
is funded 75 per cent by the province. The one-time funding is just 
for 2008, but Kanellakos said the city would continue to seek 
increased provincial funding for 2009. The city currently has a 
request for proposals for organizations to take on the contract to 
pickup the needles, which will determine the funds needed to enhance 
the program for 2009.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom