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City councillor Paula Fletcher wants the city to mandate safety regulations for
large electronic dance music parties. (CBC)[/caption]
A Toronto city councillor is calling
for more safety measures at Electronic Dance Music (EDM) venues that often
attract large crowds and lots of drugs. Councillor Paula Fletcher, who
represents Ward 30, Toronto-Danforth, will file a motion on Monday at the
Community Development and Recreation Committee. It's in response, she says, to
the overdose death of a 19 year-old woman who attended an all-ages EDM event at
Rebel nightclub on Polson Pier. At least two other people overdosed at the same
party, according Toronto Paramedic Services. Both survived. "A family lost a
wonderful young woman just before Christmas. I want to make sure we don't have
any more deaths," Fletcher said in an interview with CBC Toronto. She
says medical staff were on hand at the Dec.16 event where the overdoses
occurred. But while the private medics treated the patients, they could not
transport them to hospital. Only Toronto Paramedic Services are allowed to
transport people in an ambulance. Fletcher wants to make the presence of Toronto
Paramedics mandatory at all "large" EDM parties, as it already is for large
events on public property. "It's the smart thing to do if you're having an EDM
concert," she said. If approved, the costs of contracting Toronto
Paramedics would have to be covered by the venue or event promoter. For private
events, Toronto Paramedics charges up to $216 per hour for two paramedics and an
ambulance. Fletcher doesn't think it's too much to ask. "I think it's very
reasonable. It's incumbent on these promoters to ensure these kids are safe." In
fact, some promoters already contract Toronto EMS for events. 'It's a good
idea,' promoter says Richard Lambert, of the Social Group and concert promoter
Embrace, says he's organized several large events where paramedics and an
ambulance were present. "I don't see a problem with it. As long as the size of
the event is considerable enough, in the thousands, it's a good idea," Lambert
told CBC Toronto. Monday's motion asks city staff to study the feasibility of
mandating risk management plans that include Toronto Paramedics for all EDM
events that attract large crowds. Fletcher sees it as another "harm reduction"
strategy the city should embrace, since the parties will continue to happen and
it's hard for the venues to stop drugs from getting in. "It's not reasonable to
cancel them or ban them," Fletcher said of the EDM parties. "They'll just go
somewhere less safe."
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