Despite the city's opposition, Ottawa's free crack pipe program will continue in 2008 with funding from the province, said Jack McCarthy, director of the Somerset West Community Health Center. McCarthy confirmed that in a recent conversation with a spokesperson from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care the province will provide $287,000 (US $292,669) to run the program next year without city involvement. "The minister is committed to funding this program," said McCarthy. The goal of the program is to reduce the sharing of used crack pipes in a bid to slow the spread of diseases like HIV and hepatitis C. The city council voted to kill the program in a motion passed by a 15-7 vote in July.

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