Government of Canada announces more than $1.8 million to help address harms related to substance use in Guelph, Ontario

To help support the response to the overdose crisis and address harms related to substance use and the toxic illegal drug supply, the Government of Canada has announced more than $1.8 million in funding for three innovative community-led projects in Guelph, Ontario. With this funding, these projects will help improve health outcomes for people who are at risk of experiencing substance-related harms and overdose by scaling up prevention, harm reduction and treatment efforts.

August 2023

To help support the response to the overdose crisis and address harms related to substance use and the toxic illegal drug supply, the Government of Canada has announced more than $1.8 million in funding for three innovative community-led projects in Guelph, Ontario. 

With this funding, these projects will help improve health outcomes for people who are at risk of experiencing substance-related harms and overdose by scaling up prevention, harm reduction and treatment efforts. 

Funding is provided through Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP), which supports evidence-informed and innovative initiatives across a range of interventions—prevention, harm reduction and treatment—involving a broad range of legal and illegal substances.

The backgrounder below provides a description for all project receiving funding today through SUAP.

Ontario (total of $1,828,904)  

Concurrent Specialized Youth Hub
Wyndham House – Guelph, ON
$248,032 added to the $999,171 already provided by SUAP to implement and expand the Concurrent Specialized Youth Hub, which provides youth access to multiple supports in the City of Guelph and in Wellington and Dufferin Counties. Services include housing, education, financial support and, low-barrier wraparound health care and support for youth, including those with co-occurring disorders. 
Theme: Youth and wraparound health care services 
Funding Envelope: Amendment

Peer 2 Peer Overdose Response Program  
Stonehenge Therapeutic Community Inc. –  Guelph, Ontario 
$48,801 added to the existing $207,403 already provided by SUAP to implement the Peer 2 Peer Overdose Response Program, which will provide a peer-led, low barrier urgent response to those who have experienced substance use harms in Guelph and Wellington County. The objective of this project is to reduce the number of substance use harms in the area by enhancing service options for vulnerable populations whose needs are not met through traditional service pathways. This will be done by supporting, educating and providing substance use service referrals to this population as well as educating the individual's loved ones on how to effectively support this population.
Theme: Harm Reduction 
Funding Envelope: Amendment 

Safer Supply Program
Guelph Community Health Centre – Guelph, ON
$1,532,071 added to the existing $2,442,802 already provided by SUAP to continue to provide a pharmaceutical alternative to help mitigate harms from the toxic illegal drug supply and help prevent overdoses. The funding will also help the Guelph Community Health Centre increase the capacity of their current program to an estimated 250 individuals with access to prescription hydromorphone, as well as increase lifestyle stability by increasing access to supports, such as primary and specialty care services, income, housing, and nutrition. 
Theme: Safer Supply and harm reduction
Funding Envelope: Amendment