November 27, 2024 | Renfrew, ON | Health Canada

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 connect people to care and keep communities safe.

Today, Élisabeth Brière, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, announced $1.8M in funding to Mackay Manor for their project “Renfrew County Mobile Substance Use Service”. This project will expand access to harm reduction and substance use care in Renfrew County by designing and implementing an integrated mobile substance use service staffed by a community paramedic, a social worker, peer support worker and by Elders/Traditional Knowledge Keepers.

The project integrates partners such as Community Withdrawal Management Services, community paramedics, community mental health and addictions agencies, hospitals, and local public health units, to offer services and/or referrals for case management, system navigation, housing, opioid agonist therapy, wound care, drug testing, and virtual consultations.

The Government of Canada’s action to reduce harm related to substance use, is anchored to the renewed Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy (CDSS), which outlines Canada’s approach to addressing the overdose crisis and other substance use-related harms.

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