The Government of Canada announced over $7 million to help address harms related to substance use in Ontario

Improving health outcomes for people at risk of substance-related harms and overdose in Ontario

March 14, 2023 | Toronto, Ont. | Health Canada

Every day, families and communities across Ontario are losing loved ones to overdoses from the increasingly toxic illegal drug supply. Collectively, through harm reduction and treatment services, as well as prevention efforts alongside all levels of government, the Government of Canada is working in tandem to try to reduce stigma, save lives, and ensure all people who use drugs have the life-saving substance use services and support they need.

Today, the Honorable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, announced over $7 million in federal funding for 8 projects in Ontario through Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP). The funding today announced will allow Ontarians to access greater prevention, harm reduction and treatment services including access to safer supply programs. This includes people disproportionately affected by problematic substance use or who face barriers accessing services such as youth, equity-deserving, and 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals.

Today’s investment builds on the historic announcement the Government of Canada made in February of $198.6 billion over 10 years to improve health care services for Canadians, reduce surgical backlogs, support health workers, and integrated improve mental health and substance use services. We will continue to work with all levels of government, partners, Indigenous communities, stakeholders, people with lived and living experience of addiction, and organizations across the country to improve health outcomes for all Canadians, save lives, and work towards an end to this national public health crisis.