Space, place, and perceived illegality: the unsanctioned Parkdale Overdose Prevention Site

In August 2018 the Ontario provincial government ordered the halt of several overdose prevention sites across the province. This paper will focus on an unsanctioned site that opened out of response to resist said closures. This study aims to explore how front-line volunteers navigated opening, maintaining, and closing an unsanctioned overdose prevention site amidst a neoliberal government, and whether it had any impact on service provision. The writer interviewed volunteers who frequently worked at the unsanctioned site, discussing their community, activism, and the ongoing efforts to support people who use drugs. The findings of this research suggest that the perception of illegality had impacts on funding, burnout, and community mobilization. Keywords: governmentality, harm reduction, people who use drugs, unsanctioned overdose prevention sites