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Searching for a Drug Strategy:

Seeking a response to substance-related harms
​and the overdose crisis
May 2024


​​With overdose deaths on the rise and dangerous substances infiltrating our communities, the need for effective solutions has never been greater. This town hall underscored the complexity of the opioid crisis and the necessity of a multifaceted approach involving prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and enforcement.
With expertise spanning pharmacology, public health, policy, and advocacy, our speakers, hosted by Region of Waterloo Councillor Rob Deutschmann, brought unique perspectives and a wealth of experience to the table. These trailblazers inspired and informed as they shared their insights and strategies for navigating the complex landscape of substance-related challenges.
The speakers collectively advocated for evidence-based strategies, comprehensive care, and collaborative efforts to effectively address the crisis and support affected individuals and communities.

Read the Report



Guest speakers: ​


  • ​Dr. Tara Gomes, Program Director, Ontario Drug Policy Research Network
  • Shaleesa Ledlie, PhD Candidate, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto
  • ​Dr. Geoff Bardwell, Assistant Professor, School of Public Health Sciences at University of Waterloo
  • ​Bill Bogart,  Author, Retired University Professor and Professor of Law
  • Dr. Rebecca Haines-Saah, Associate Professor, Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary​
  • ​Rebecca Penn, Project Manager, National Safer Supply Community of Practice and Substance Use Health Network, London InterCommunity Health Centre​
  • Dr. Paxton Bach, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia
  • Dan Smith, Director - Fire and Emergency Services/ Fire Chief - Belleville, ON​​


Related News, Academic Publications,
​and Information Resources



Related 2023 Segment
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The Drug Poisoning Crisis
​​in Waterloo Region

​What we know; What is missing;
Envisioning a way forward.​
Explore this event

Related News Publications
  • Dec. 1, 2023 - Doctors in British Columbia have a new set of clinical guidelines for treating opioid use disorder - Reporting -Focus on Victoria
  • Feb. 1 2024 - Toxic drug crisis: B.C. experts urge expansion of ‘safe supply’ to save lives - Global News
  • July 28, 2023 - Advocates hope rookie minister acts quickly to tackle a wave of overdose deaths - CBC News
  • Sept. 29 2023 - Addictions doctors urge feds to supervise hydromorphone or stop handing out free drugs - National Post
  • April 11, 2024 Studies on B.C. safer supply emerge, finding different answers to different questions - City News Calgary
  • Ontario is in the midst of a drug crisis. These seven charts tell us who's being hit hardest
  • Mixed reviews as B.C. significantly rolls back drug decriminalization | Radio-Canada.ca


National Resources
  • Canadian Drug Policy Coalition
  • Canadian Substance Use Costs and Harms (CSUCH)
  • ​The Canadian Association of People who Use Drugs (CAPUD) ​
  • Data, surveillance and research on opiods and other substances - ​Health Canada​
  • National Safe Supply - Community of Practice
​Provincial Resources (Ontario)
  • Drug Strategy Network of Ontario
  • Ontario Network of People Who Use Drugs (ONPUD)
  • Ontario Drug Policy Research Network
  • Interactive Opioid Tool: Opioid-related morbidity and mortality in Ontario -Public Health Ontario
  • Moms Stop the Harm​​​​
Other Resources & Publications
  • ​​Opioid-related deaths between 2019 and 2021 across 9 Canadian provinces and territories
  • Prescribed safer opioid supply: a scoping review of the evidence
  • Substance Use and Addiction - Homeless Hub
  • Harm Reduction ​- Homeless Hub
  • British Columbia’s Safer Opioid Supply Policy and Opioid Outcomes | Emergency Medicine
  • Effect of Risk Mitigation Guidance for opioid and stimulant dispensations on mortality and acute care visits during dual public health emergencies: retrospective cohort study | The BMJ

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​2024:
  • Searching for a Drug Strategy: Seeking a response to substance-related harms and the overdose crisis
  • ​No Fixed Address: A Talk About Homelessness & Encampments​
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  • Home
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      • Searching for a Drug Strategy >
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      • No Fixed Address >
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          • Full Video - No Fixed Address: A Talk About Homelessness and Encampments
        • Report - No Fixed Address: A Talk About Homelessness and Encampments
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      • The Epidemic of Gender Based Violence >
        • Guest Speakers - The Epidemic of Gender Based Violence
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      • Renoviction - Righting the Reno-Wrong >
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      • The Drug Poisoning Crisis in Waterloo Region >
        • Guest Speakers - The Drug Poisoning Crisis in Waterloo Region
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      • The "A" Word: Unnecessary or Unavoidable? >
        • Guest Speakers - The "A" Word: Unnecessary or Unavoidable?
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          • Report - The "A" Word: Unnecessary or Unavoidable?
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            • Event Summary - Amalgamation
      • Low Voter Turnout: Strengthening Participation In Local Democracy >
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