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

ST. CATHARINES, ON, Nov. 22, 2024 /CNW/ - The overdose crisis is one of the most serious public health crises our country has ever faced. It is driven by a dangerous illegal synthetic drug supply that is unpredictable and increasingly toxic. Too many Canadians have lost their lives to this public health crisis. Canada's approach is focused on providing access to a full continuum of health care services and leveraging every tool at our disposal to save lives, connect people to care, and keep communities safe.

Today, Chris Bittle, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, on behalf of the Honourable Ya'ara Saks, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, announced $3.5 million to Regional Essential Access to Connected Healthcare (REACH) Niagara for their project Transitions Into Comprehensive Care (TICC). This project is funded through Health Canada's Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP).

TICC, will create a collaborative network with community partners in the Niagara region to offer comprehensive care and wraparound services, such as counselling, housing, and employment support to individuals who are transitioning from corrections facilities to a community setting. The program is  open to people housed in the Niagara Detention Centre and the Vanier Centre for Women, unhoused individuals currently using the shelter system, those  recently released, and people with a history of incarceration or who are at high risk of reincarceration.

We will continue to support community partners and organizations working to save lives.

Quotes

"We recognize the tragic toll substance use is taking on families, friends and communities across Canada. Our comprehensive and compassionate approach is about reducing harms and saving lives. We are supporting community organizations that have deep roots in their communities, have the trust of their clients and have the first-hand knowledge needed to make a real difference in people's lives. We are using every tool at our disposal to end this crisis and build a safer, healthier and more caring future for all Canadians.

The Honourable Ya'ara Saks
Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health

"Here in St. Catharines, just like many other communities across Canada, we're seeing substance use harms continue to take a tragic toll on our families and friends. We are committed to supporting organizations who are on the ground in communities, helping to keep people who use substances safe. There is no one size fits all solution to the toxic illegal drug and overdose crisis, but we will continue to work together to help save lives."

Chris Bittle
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

"The demand for essential services within our community is growing at an overwhelming pace. There is a profound divide between the general population and the equity-deserving community—a divide that spans social, economic, political, and service-related barriers. Access to foundational healthcare, a basic human right, is often denied or unavailable to this population. This is unacceptable.  The federal support from Health Canada's Substance Use and Addictions Program is not only vital to our organization's ability to operate and expand but also serves as a powerful signal of the commitment required to combat this silent crisis. Thanks to this funding, REACH Niagara can introduce a transformative new program to address these urgent needs."

Carolyn Dyer
Executive Director of REACH Niagara

Quick Facts

• Through investments announced in Budget 2023, the Government of Canada is providing $144 million through SUAP to fund community support services and other evidence-based public health interventions.
• Since 2017, nearly $700 million has been invested in more than 430 projects under Health Canada's SUAP.

Associated Links

• Federal actions on the overdose crisis
• Opioid- and Stimulant-related Harms in Canada
• Health Canada's Substance Use and Addictions Program

SOURCE Health Canada (HC)