CITY METHADONE LEGAL BILL AT $360,000 AND CLIMBING

More Than $312,000 Spent on Legal Costs, $46,000 On Staff

OSHAWA - The City's lengthy legal battle against a downtown methadone
clinic has already cost taxpayers approximately $360,000 and more big bills
are headed this way.

A City staff report released Monday shows the City has incurred more than
$312,000 in legal expenses and consulting fees, and more than $46,000 in
staff time has been dedicated to fighting the clinic's relocation downtown
so far.

The battle began in 2002 when the City, worried about the impact of the
clinic on downtown, passed an interim-control bylaw blocking the move of
the First Step Medical Clinic from King Street, just outside the city's
core, to a downtown location on Simcoe Street north of Athol.

The bylaw was later removed by the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB), which
claimed the City had no planning rationale for blocking the move, and the
clinic opened in its new location in November.

However, in June 2003, Ontario divisional court granted the City leave to
appeal the decision and City council unanimously supported going forward
with an appeal.

Now, Oshawa's lawyer handling the appeal says although the legal costs of
the appeal may be awarded to the City by the divisional court, the City
could still be on the hook for another $50,000 legal bill - plus the
"substantial" costs of continuing on with the OMB appeal.

Monday, when City councillors received the report, Regional Councillor
Nester Pidwerbecki called the costs a waste.

"The last time I checked with the police there were no records of any
incidents at the clinic," he said. "We should be spending this money on
something positive in the downtown instead."

While Local Councillor Louise Parkes, the City's most vocal opponent of the
clinic, admitted she does "regret the expense," she said the City had no
choice but to defend its downtown.

"We want this city to be a people place, people friendly and our downtown
to be a place for people to come. (A methadone clinic) on a main street
does not help," she said.

Coun. Pidwerbecki said he will ask councillors to reconsider going forward
with the appeal at the next meeting of council Oct. 20.

"Somewhere along the line we've got to regain our sanity here,' he said.