Latest UCN Update: Apr. 27, 2026
Please see Section on Services until Updates resume in September
From June to September we will switch to our Summer Service format, an informal but lively gathering with a circle of friends. There will be no access by Zoom or any slides or recordings used in these services. This is the last information bulletin I will put out until we reconvene with the Water Communion which is the second weekend in Sepember. Here is the Summer Schedule: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/8vq1z04r9imvm2304ra42/Summer-Schedule-2026.xlsx?rlkey=uynxmgvpunem5amdh03m17pnl&st=esnn4coi&dl=0
Social Action
The Ontario Government has decided to close the majority of Safe Injection Sites, including the only site in our region run by Positive Living by 13 June 2026. As much as we deplore the tragic state of substance users, the alternative help being offered by “Abstinence-based Model” will work as well for this problem, as abstinence worked for birth control in the past.
Positive Living has had more than 89,000 visits and reversed more than 1,500 overdoses since 2018, receives $1.3 million in annual funding. Now this will be gone.
“I think it’s our responsibility as a municipality to support (Positive Living) in any way we can,” said Merritton Coun. Greg Miller, who made a motion to try to save the site.
I realize that we at UCN, being a mainly older population, are not rallying to march or protest in town squares ( at least myself), BUT, I believe that we could write letters, to our MPP, and to the Ontario Provincial Legislature, to express our great concern for the people who live among us and around us. They need the Safe Injections Sites, to hopefully tide them over until they can retrieve their lives, and access viable help.
So – there is this one thing that we can do – sit down and write letters, protesting this cruel action. Send one to your own MPP, and one to Ford as well as to the Legislature. In this way, we are advocating for those who cannot speak for themselves.
Please. This week. This is one small thing that each of us can do……
PREMIER’S OFFICE/Correspondence: Whitney Block, Room 4620, 99 Wellesley St. W., Toronto, ON M7A 1A1.
Legislative Assembly: 111 Wellesley St W, Toronto, ON M7A 1A2 (Queen's Park).
St CATHARINES -Jennie Stevens ,- 209 Carlton St, Unit B, St. Catharines, ON L2R 1S1.
WELLAND region (Niagara Centre riding) is Jeff Burch - 60 King St., Unit 102, Welland, Ontario, L3B 6A4.
NIAGARA FALLS REGION - Wayne Gates in Niagara Falls . 6746 Morrison St, Unit 1, Niagara Falls , ON L2E 6Z8
- Covers Niagara Falls, Fort Erie and Niagara-on-the-Lake
NIAGARA CENTRE - Jeff Burch (Niagara Centre), 60 King St., Unit 102 Welland, Ontario L3B 6A4
NIAGARA WEST - Sam Oosterhoff (Niagara West) Unit M1 4961 King St. E , Beamsville, ON L0R 1B0
Events
Celebrations of Life
Roy Blake's Celebration of Life is being arranged at Club LaSalle at 111 Arthur St., St. Catharines, on Sunday Sept. 27. The in-gathering will start at 2 pm and the service will start at 3 pm. Refreshments will be provided. https://clublasalle.ca/
From June to September we will switch to our Summer Service format, an informal but lively gathering with a circle of friends. There will be no access by Zoom or any slides or recordings used in these services. This is the last information bulletin I will put out until we reconvene with the Water Communion which is the second weekend in Sepember. Here is the Summer Schedule: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/8vq1z04r9imvm2304ra42/Summer-Schedule-2026.xlsx?rlkey=uynxmgvpunem5amdh03m17pnl&st=esnn4coi&dl=0
Social Action
The Ontario Government has decided to close the majority of Safe Injection Sites, including the only site in our region run by Positive Living by 13 June 2026. As much as we deplore the tragic state of substance users, the alternative help being offered by “Abstinence-based Model” will work as well for this problem, as abstinence worked for birth control in the past.
Positive Living has had more than 89,000 visits and reversed more than 1,500 overdoses since 2018, receives $1.3 million in annual funding. Now this will be gone.
“I think it’s our responsibility as a municipality to support (Positive Living) in any way we can,” said Merritton Coun. Greg Miller, who made a motion to try to save the site.
I realize that we at UCN, being a mainly older population, are not rallying to march or protest in town squares ( at least myself), BUT, I believe that we could write letters, to our MPP, and to the Ontario Provincial Legislature, to express our great concern for the people who live among us and around us. They need the Safe Injections Sites, to hopefully tide them over until they can retrieve their lives, and access viable help.
So – there is this one thing that we can do – sit down and write letters, protesting this cruel action. Send one to your own MPP, and one to Ford as well as to the Legislature. In this way, we are advocating for those who cannot speak for themselves.
Please. This week. This is one small thing that each of us can do……
PREMIER’S OFFICE/Correspondence: Whitney Block, Room 4620, 99 Wellesley St. W., Toronto, ON M7A 1A1.
Legislative Assembly: 111 Wellesley St W, Toronto, ON M7A 1A2 (Queen's Park).
St CATHARINES -Jennie Stevens ,- 209 Carlton St, Unit B, St. Catharines, ON L2R 1S1.
WELLAND region (Niagara Centre riding) is Jeff Burch - 60 King St., Unit 102, Welland, Ontario, L3B 6A4.
NIAGARA FALLS REGION - Wayne Gates in Niagara Falls . 6746 Morrison St, Unit 1, Niagara Falls , ON L2E 6Z8
- Covers Niagara Falls, Fort Erie and Niagara-on-the-Lake
NIAGARA CENTRE - Jeff Burch (Niagara Centre), 60 King St., Unit 102 Welland, Ontario L3B 6A4
NIAGARA WEST - Sam Oosterhoff (Niagara West) Unit M1 4961 King St. E , Beamsville, ON L0R 1B0
Events
Celebrations of Life
Roy Blake's Celebration of Life is being arranged at Club LaSalle at 111 Arthur St., St. Catharines, on Sunday Sept. 27. The in-gathering will start at 2 pm and the service will start at 3 pm. Refreshments will be provided. https://clublasalle.ca/