When are safe drug injection sites coming to Montreal?

The pressure is mounting for the creation of safe drug injection sites in Montreal after Toronto's board of health approved three sites earlier this week.

LouisLetellierde St-Just, who helped found Montreal's first needle exchange, is becoming impatient with the lack of progress about the implementation of a harm-reduction programin the city.Supervisedinjection sitesgive intravenous drug users access to clean needles.

• Safe injection advocate dies of overdose before Toronto approves 3 sites
• Supervised injection sites: Quebec expects federal approval

In 2015, Mayor Denis Coderre announced the creation of sites, saying he would move forward with a plan without federal or provincial approval, butnone exist yet. The provincial government said it is waiting on Health Canada to make a decision before it can move forward with creating sites.

"We have to face the reality. We need this authorization, okay?"Lettelierde St-Just said. "And we willget it."

It's a situation where time is of essence, according toLetellierde St-Just. He said thelonger Montreal waits to open safe druginjection sites, the more people will die from drug overdoses.

Sterling Downey, a ProjetMontral city councillor, alsocalled out Coderre for a lack of progress and demanded action.

"How do you go into the media and announce over a year ago that you're going to open these sites and back off and go radio silent?" Downey said.