Non-profit, health sector, labour and municipal leaders join forces to address Ontario's addiction crisis

TORONTO, Nov. 7, 2024 /CNW/ - In an effort to address the growing opioid addiction crisis in Ontario, a group of Ontario-based health workers, pharmaceutical experts, first responders, non-profits, union leaders, and big city mayors have united to form One Step Forward: An Alliance for Advancing Recovery.

To help break down barriers and help more people suffering from addiction access a journey to recovery, the Alliance is advocating for public policy changes in Ontario through a set of four action-oriented recommendations.

The Alliance's work culminated with a virtual summit earlier last month. The summit centered around discussion of the Alliance's policy recommendations, written by Delphic Research. The recommendations were based on hundreds of stakeholder consultations from a wide range of disciplines.

Proposed recommendations

• Establish a cross-ministry Emergency Task Force to coordinate efforts across multiple ministries and engage external stakeholders, creating a synchronized approach to addressing the addiction crisis.
• Launch and fund a remote access program – the Virtual Opioid Addiction Treatment Service – as one of several additional options connecting more people to the timely treatment and supports they need.
• Reform current compensation and funding models for addiction care to ensure a patient-centered approach.
• Empower pharmacists to play a greater role in treating people suffering from opioid use disorder. Ontario should amend the Pharmacy Regulations (O.Reg.256/24) listing items pharmacists are permitted to administer to patients to include those approved by Health Canada since 2019.

These recommendations are intended to see an increase in Ontarians benefiting from the full continuum of treatment strategies within the next three years. While the opioid crisis in the province has dramatically worsened following the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of Ontarians receiving treatment has remained stagnant.

The Alliance is calling on the Ontario government to change this by implementing a clear opioid response strategy that includes person-centered treatment, wrap-around supports, harm reduction and a focus on active recovery.

Quotes

"The opioid addiction crisis is affecting communities across northern Ontario, and the current approach is costing people their lives, their families and their work. It's time for the Ford government to act. Local efforts have made a difference, but it's not enough. We need the provincial government to step up with recovery solutions that can truly transform lives."

– Seamus Murphy, Deputy Chief of Cochrane Paramedic Services

"As a family physician, I see daily the impact of the opioid crisis on patients, their families and communities, and our broader health system. The opioid crisis can no longer be thought of as a health-care issue alone. We need all hands on deck and all options available. Recovery from opioid use disorder is a process of personal growth and change, therefore it's vital for the Ontario government to focus on patient-centered options for those affected. The Alliance has proposed practical solutions that can bring real improvements in Ontario, helping more people in their path towards recovery."

– Dr. Larisa Eibisch, Physician and Addictions Specialist

"Substance use is a societal issue that requires partners from all sectors including health, government, labour and employers to tackle the issue, together. A fulsome, collaborative approach to better understand Total Worker Health, including mental health and substance use, is part of the solution and the Building Trades support the work of One Step Forward: An Alliance for Advancing Recovery."

– Marc Arsenault, Business Manager and Secretary-Treasurer of the Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario

As a leading pharmaceutical company in the addictions space, we have a responsibility to advocate for policy that can help change patients' lives and get them on a journey to recovery. Recovery from opioid use disorder is possible, but we must break down barriers for those who need help. Together, with the Government of Ontario's support, we can secure a brighter future for Ontario and for those suffering from opioid use disorder. 

– Manon Lafontaine, General Manager of Indivior Canada

"There is a homelessness, mental health and addictions crisis happening in communities across the province, and municipalities cannot tackle it alone. OBCM supports the Alliance's call for our provincial partners to take urgent action that will help people access options for the treatment and care that they need. This is a humanitarian crisis and the time to act is now."

– Marianne Meed Ward, Chair of Ontario's Big City Mayors and Mayor of Burlington

"It's incredible we haven't seen an increase in the number of people in treatment in Ontario when all around us it's clear the problem of opioid addiction is getting worse. The evidence is clear that recovery is possible, but the challenge is getting people timely access to the care they need and want. Government can play a role in helping people get that access by acting on recommendations that increase the availability of treatment – the full range of treatment options – in a manner that is organized around their own success. Our recommendations are centered around a vision for recovery that meets the needs of each patient's unique circumstances and builds in more opportunity for choice and access to treatment." 

– Jason Grier, President and CEO of Delphic Research

"Addiction is a powerful driver of homelessness, yet too often we fail to see the connection. Supporting this alliance means committing to real solutions that break down barriers to care. Because the best time to fight homelessness is before it even begins – and treatment is key to that. It's time for a strategy that understands the complexity of opioid addiction and builds a path to recovery and stability."

– Steve Doherty, Executive Director, Youth Without Shelter

"As carpenters, we build strong foundations, but addiction can strip even the sturdiest among us of their stability. It's a challenge that too many in our trade have come to know, and it's why we're standing with this Alliance. Ontario needs a safety net for those struggling with opioid addiction, offering support, compassion, and clear, practical options for a path to recovery."

– Tom Cardinal, Chief of Staff, Carpenters' Regional Council

Quick Facts

• Stagnant treatment numbers - As the opioid crisis in Ontario persists, the number of people receiving treatment for opioid use disorder in Ontario has remained stagnant since 2020, despite the crisis getting worse.¹
• Opioid-related deaths - Ontario experienced 2,647 opioid-related deaths in 2023, an increase over the previous year.²
• Youth exposure - In a 2023 study, The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health found that 21.8 per cent of Ontario youth between Grades 7 through 12 had utilized prescription opioids recreationally.³
• EMS responses - Between January 2017 to December 2023, there were a total of 207,842 EMS responses to opioid-related overdoses in Canada.⁴
• Impact on lives in the skilled trades - Between 2018 and 2020, 1 out of every 13 opioid-related deaths involved construction workers. Among those who died, of those who had an OUD diagnosis, only 1 in 6 accessed treatment in the month prior to their death.⁵
• Impact on our economy - In 2020, opioid use cost the Canadian economy $7.1 billion, with nearly 75 per cent of these costs related to lost productivity and people dying at a young age due to opioid use.⁶
• Primary care - Opioid users, including those receiving treatment for OUD have reported challenges in securing a primary care provider, likely due to stigma and high health-care needs. Ontarians receiving opioid agonist therapy are 45 per cent less likely to secure a primary care provider within one year of provider loss compared to people with no opioid exposure.⁷

About the Alliance

One Step Forward: An Alliance for Advancing Recovery is proud to represent groups that have been deeply affected by opioid-related addiction. We urge the Ontario Government to adopt a comprehensive approach that is centered on prevention, harm reduction and, crucially, prioritizes access to treatment and active recovery. Alliance members include individual health professionals and first responders, as well as the following organizations: Delphic Research, Indivior, Kinship Addiction Counselling, LiUNA Ontario Provincial District Council, Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario, Ontario Big City Mayors, United Brotherhood of Carpenters' Regional Council, WeRPN, and Youth Without Shelter. The campaign was made possible through funding from Indivior.

Associated Links

• OneStepForward.ca
• Opioid- and Stimulant-related Harms in Canada (Health Canada)
• Ontario Opioid Indicator Tool (Ontario Drug Policy Research Network).
• Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (CAMH)

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¹ Ontario Drug Policy Research Network. Ontario Opioid Tool - ODPRN. This number reflects individuals receiving opioid agonist therapy as it is one of the few readily available Ontario data points reflective of those in treatment.

² Public Health Ontario. Interactive Opioid Tool  Public Health Ontario

³ Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. (2023). Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey: Drug use report. https://www.camh.ca/-/media/research-files/osduhs-drug-use-report_2023.pdf. This includes Percocet, Percodan, Tylenol #3, Demerol, Dilaudid, OxyNeo, codeine.

⁴ Government of Canada. (2023). Opioid- and stimulant-related harms in Canada. https://health-infobase.canada.ca/substance-related-harms/opioids-stimulants/

⁵ Public Health Ontario. (2022). Opioid-related deaths among construction workers in Ontario. https://www.publichealthontario.ca/en/About/News/2022/Construction-workers-opioid-related-deaths

⁶ Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction. Canadian substance use costs and harms: 2017–2021 (2023). https://csuch.ca/documents/reports/english/Canadian-Substance-Use-Costs-and-Harms-Report-2023-en.pdf.

⁷Ontario Drug Policy Research Network. (2021). Opioid use and gaps in primary care: Infographic. https://odprn.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Opioid-Use-and-Gaps-in-Primary-Care-Infographic.pdf

_{NP-NBD-CA-00632 / Prepared October 2024}

SOURCE One Step Forward: An Alliance for Advancing Recovery

Media contact: Christina Salituro, 647-965-6220, [email protected]