The Sanguen Health Centre in Kitchener, Ontario, is operating its drug checking machine again despite provincial legislation banning certain harm reduction services. According to a statement released on the health centre’s social media page, it has received a federal exemption granted by Health Canada to operate the machine. Sanguen’s drug checking program uses a technique called Raman Spectroscopy to identify dangerous substances and adulterants in minutes.

In her interview with CBC News, Leigh Wardlaw, the co-ordinator of the drug checking program, said that the exemption for their machine is outside the scope of provincial legislation. Moreover, Health Canada confirmed with CBC News that two subsection 56(1) exemptions under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to offer drug checking services were granted to the Sanguen Health Centre. One exemption was issued for a fixed site, and the other was for a mobile site, and both exemptions will be valid until Oct. 31, 2025. 

“It’s been a very eye-opening experience in itself as we didn’t know what was in the local drug supply,” Wardlaw said. “We only used test strips before and now we’re finding all these new things … so we’re able to educate the public on what we’re seeing.”

The initiative is part of the health centre’s effort to inform and protect the public from unknown drug contaminants, especially with the increased incidence of detection of potent substances such as fentanyl and methamphetamine. Furthermore, its drug checking service is confidential.

From 2019 to 2024, Sanguen Health Centre operated a Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS) site in Waterloo region, using harm reduction and safe supply approaches. However, the site was closed in April 2024 due to the Ontario government’s decision to phase out CTS locations that permitted drug use and were located near schools or daycares.

CTS sites have been replaced by Homelessness and Addictions Recovery Treatment (HART) hubs replaced CTS sites in Kitchener, Guelph, Hamilton, Thunder Bay, Ottawa and Toronto. Furthermore, illicit drug possession and drug consumption are not permitted on site at the HART hubs. 

Health Canada told CBC News that the Ontario government’s legislation does not cover drug checking services and that the exemption request on behalf of Sanguen Health Centre underwent a “rigorous process that considers both public health and public safety objectives.” Moreover, Health Canada confirmed that funding for Sanguen under Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program ended in March 2024 and that it does not currently provide any sort of funding for Sanguen’s drug checking services.