Improving health outcomes for people at risk of substance-related harms and overdose in the Northwest Territories

April 25, 2023 | Yellowknife, NT | Health Canada

Every day, families and communities across Canada lose 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 supports they need.

Today, the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, announced $2,162,051 in federal funding for a Government of the Northwest Territories Department of Health and Social Services project in the Northwest Territories through Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP). The 18-month project, Health Outreach and Harm Reduction for Street-Involved Individuals, will support the provision of care to street-involved individuals and improve access to supports for vulnerable individuals with substance use disorders, by providing prevention, harm reduction, and treatment services; and expanding the capacity of services to reach people throughout the Northwest Territories. Through the funding, the organization will be able to expand its street nursing outreach, add peer support workers, support the delivery of harm reduction and give access to art and recreational programming designed to create connections, provide support, and prevent substance use among youth.

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 improve integrated 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.

Quotes

“Every day in Canada, family members, friends, colleagues, and neighbors from all walks of life endure the unspeakable loss of losing a loved one to overdose. We are committed to working with community-based organizations in addressing the increasingly toxic illegal drug supply and overdose crisis. Today’s funding will help people in accessing the life-saving substance use resources they need. I thank all the organizations receiving funding for their life-saving work and dedication to reducing stigma.”

The Honourable Carolyn Bennett

Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health

“Through this investment, we are ensuring that street-involved individuals, who are among the most vulnerable residents of the Northwest Territories, will have improved access to the supports they desperately need.”

Michael V. McLeod

Member of Parliament, Northwest Territories

The Department of Health and Social Services is committed to supporting our residents with a responsive health care system, particularly those most impacted by substance use. This funding gives us the ability to reach and support people who have difficulty accessing our programs and services, and will further our efforts to promote understanding of mental wellness and addictions and reduce substance-related harm throughout the Northwest Territories.

The Honourable Julie Green

Minister of Health and Social Services, Government of the Northwest Territories

Quick Facts
• The Government of Canada continues to work closely with partners to provide a compassionate and evidence-based response to the crisis.
• The projects announced today are funded through Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program. Through SUAP, the Government of Canada provides grants and contributions funding to other levels of government, as well as community-led and not-for-profit organizations, to respond to current drug and substance use issues in Canada.
• Health Canada has invested over $350 million in over 300 projects since 2017. This investment includes over $88.3 in funding for safer supply projects in British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick.
• The initiatives announced today stretch across the continuum of care (prevention, harm reduction, treatment), and vary from community-based service delivery projects like drug checking, to national initiatives, like CATIE, Canada’s source for HIV and hepatitis C information.
• Our government is committed to reducing the stigma associated with substance use so that Canadians feel safe asking for help. The latest data show that, between January and June 2022, opioid-related deaths and harms continued to persist at high levels, with 20 deaths per day, and 14 hospitalizations per day.
• Since 2017, the Government of Canada has taken evidence-based action to address the overdose crisis and committed over $800 million, including $349 million through Health Canada's Substance Use and Addictions Program to support community-based treatment, harm reduction, prevention, and stigma reduction activities, as well as legislative and regulatory action.
• Addiction is a treatable medical condition, not a choice, yet many people affected by addiction face stigma and feel shame. The language we use has a direct and deep impact on people around us. All Canadians, including media and health professionals, can reduce stigma by changing the words they use related to substance use and people who uses drugs.

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