Emergency Treatment Fund for Western communities impacted by the overdose crisis

The Emergency Treatment Fund (ETF) is part of the Government of Canada’s efforts to help communities rapidly respond to emerging, critical needs related to the toxic illegal drug supply and overdose crisis.

October 2025

The Emergency Treatment Fund (ETF) is part of the Government of Canada's efforts to help communities rapidly respond to emerging, critical needs related to the toxic illegal drug supply and overdose crisis.

The Government of Canada is providing more than $30 million in additional funding through the ETF to 34 projects across Western Canada. Funding will support a wide range of urgent interventions to increase local capacity to help Canadians most affected by the crisis.

The backgrounder below describes the projects receiving funding.

British Columbia

The Corporation of the City of Victoria
SOLID Access Hub Service Ramp-Up – Victoria, BC
$2,051,986 to expand low-barrier access to harm reduction and health services through the SOLID Access Hub, improving support for individuals experiencing homelessness, substance use, and mental health challenges.

Cayoose Creek Indian Band
Nuk̓w7antwál̓ Project – Lillooet, BC
$1,633,190 to provide culturally appropriate, Indigenous-led services addressing the opioid crisis in Sekw'el'was First Nation and Northern St'at'imc Nations, including harm reduction workshops and a 24/7 mobile outreach program.

Métis Provincial Council of British Columbia (Métis Nation –British Columbia)
Moonchikanihtaahk aen paykiiwayhk (Homecoming) - Métis Substance Use and Addictions Support Program – Surrey, BC
$1,531,500 to deliver culturally grounded harm reduction and wellness services to 2,000 Métis individuals across six BC cities, including peer support and education to strengthen identity and resilience.

The Corporation of the City of Kelowna
Community-led Peer – Kelowna, BC
$1,505,690 to fill gaps in social-health services for individuals in crisis by offering a collaborative model with social service and health agencies, providing assessments, interventions, referrals, and outreach.

The Pounds Project Society
Urgent increase to low-barrier, Indigenous- and peer-led overdose prevention and substance use services – Prince George, BC
$1,486,600 to improve overdose prevention and harm reduction services by doubling the organization's hours and expanding its Support Services Team's capacity through additional staff, outreach promotion, and a vehicle for wider geographic reach.

City of Cranbrook
Kootenay Mobile Peer and Community Outreach Program (K-POP) – Cranbrook, BC
$1,321,060 to deliver mobile peer-led outreach services across the Kootenay region, enhancing access to harm reduction, mental health support, and substance use services for vulnerable populations.

Tsay Keh Dene Nation
Sekani Mental Health and Wellness Initiative –Prince George, BC
$1,183,573 to address the community's opioid and mental health crisis by hiring wellness professionals, improving service accessibility, and funding a cultural healing camp.

Nisga'a Valley Health Authority
Low-barrier Mobile Outreach Program to Provide Urgent Health Supports to Vulnerable Indigenous Populations – Aiyansh, BC
$832,477 to launch mobile outreach services, improving access to health care and reducing overdose-related deaths through peer support and systems navigation.

Lii Michif Otipemisiwak Family & Community Services Society
The LMO Wakohtowin Wellness Project – Kamloops, BC
$687,888 to address the opioid and mental health crisis affecting Métis and urban Indigenous youth aged 16-27. The project will focus on assessing basic needs, restoring connections to family and natural supports, and developing safety plans to prevent overdoses.

Ooknakane Friendship Centre
Equity in Action. Delivering Cultural Safety and Resources through Community Collaboration – Penticton, BC
$684,000 to embed culturally safe, trauma-informed care in a centralized hub using Indigenous knowledge and Western science, enhancing prevention and post-treatment support.

Nikihk Management and Community Development Society
Kelly Lake Addictions Recovery and Community Healing Initiative – Dawson Creek, BC
$665,850 to facilitate land-based healing programming for members struggling with addictions, distribute resource bundles and harm reduction kits, and promote healing through community gatherings and counseling sessions for all members affected by addiction in Kelly Lake.

Nuu-Chah-Nulth Tribal Council
Harm Reduction Outreach – Port Alberni, BC
$608,999 to provide harm reduction outreach services to Indigenous clients living within the 14 member First Nations of the Tribal Council. The project will include support for hiring two outreach workers to provide mobile services to clients within the various nations.

K'ómoks First Nation
Indigenous Led Wellness Outreach Van Program – Courtenay, BC
$536,274 to enhance the outreach efforts of the K'ómoks First Nation community by purchasing a van and outreach materials to bridge the critical gap in mental health and addiction support services for Indigenous communities within Coast Salish and Kwakwaka'wakw territory of Vancouver Island.

Corporation of the City of Trail
Increasing Health Equity through Pharmacy Access and Mobile Service – Trail, BC
$474,148 to improve health care access for vulnerable populations by creating a pharmacy window and deploying a mobile outreach van to prevent overdose deaths and provide long-term support.

City of Nanaimo
Improving efficiency and effectiveness to save lives in overdose responses in Nanaimo – Nanaimo, BC
$442,752 to equip responder vehicles with medical and harm reduction supplies, improving overdose response times and supporting unsheltered individuals.

Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation
Tla-o-qui-aht Supported Recovery and Transition Program (Saasin House) –Tofinio, BC
$418,212 to enhance Saasin Transition House's capacity to combat the opioid crisis with culturally relevant support and recovery resources.

City of Kamloops
City of Kamloops Mobile Healthcare Outreach Van – Kamloops, BC
$350,000 to provide mobile outreach services addressing harm reduction, wound care, and health support for vulnerable populations, including a medically equipped van and naloxone kits.

Oasis Society for the Spiritual Health Of Victoria
Pathway to Healing – Victoria, BC
$261,300 to offer trauma-informed, culturally safe healing programs for Indigenous and marginalized communities affected by substance use, focusing on spiritual health and community connection.

Tahltan Band Council
Strengthening Spirits: Tahltan Wellness and Recovery Initiative – Telegraph Creek, BC
$245,000 to respond to the toxic illegal drug supply and overdose crisis through traditional healing camps, harm reduction sessions, wellness education, and training in crisis response and peer support.

City of Langley
Langley CARE (Community Action for Response & Empowerment) – Langley, BC
$175,350 to equip the City of Langley with overdose prevention resources through the React app platform, offering digital tools, training, and naloxone delivery guidance to enhance timely responses and reduce overdose incidents.

Alberta

Samson Cree Nation
Kitimâkehtowin Friendship Centre (Ultimate Compassion Friendship Centre) –Maskwacis, AB
$2,367,000 to deliver supports to Indigenous Peoples in Wetaskiwin facing substance use challenges, focusing on Samson Cree Nation members, including those experiencing homelessness or who live between Maskwacîs, Wetaskiwin, Edmonton, Red Deer, and Calgary.

Goodstoney First Nation
Urgent Opioid Overdose Response and Management: Mobile Outreach and Transportation in the rural community of Big Horn, Alberta – Nordegg, AB
$1,292,367 to address the urgent need for accessible addiction management and overdose prevention services in Big Horn, Alberta. It includes the acquisition of two vehicles: one to transport individuals to treatment programs outside the community, and another to provide mobile education and harm reduction services.

Wihcihaw Maskokamik Society
Wihcihaw Maskokamik Addictions Support Program – Enoch, AB
$1,091,997 to deliver culturally responsive and Indigenous-specific addiction support through the Indigenous-operated Wihcihaw Maskokamik Society within Edmonton, drawing on the expertise of an addictions counsellor, a social worker, a psychologist, and elders.

Paddle Prairie Metis Settlement
Paddle Prairie Metis Settlement Overdose Emergency Response Initiative –Paddle Prairie, AB
$897,380 to establish a culturally grounded, community-led substance use response framework addressing opioid-related overdoses and fatalities, including naloxone distribution, counseling, mobile health services, and public awareness campaigns.

Kehewin Cree Nation
Community Care Support Units: Emergency Units for Crisis Intervention in Mental Health and Addictions – Kehewin, AB
$459,400 to retrofit trailers into safe, stigma-free spaces for mental health and addiction recovery, offering immediate crisis intervention and transportation to medical services, while easing pressure on emergency departments.

Swan River First Nation
Community-Based Overdose Response – Kinuso, AB
$381,000 to urgently address rising substance use and overdose rates through culturally relevant workshops and harm reduction training sessions in the Swan River First Nation community.

Saskatchewan

City of Prince Albert
Prince Albert's Complex Needs Shelter – Prince Albert, SK
$3,683,883 to retrofit an existing city building, reducing the risk of death by overdose or exposure by providing a safe, secure and warm place for those with complex needs.

Ahtahkakoop Health Centre
Comprehensive Community Health and Safety Initiative for Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation: Building Resilience Through Indigenous Resources and Outreach –Mont Nebo, SK
$1,082,304 to implement a wide-reaching health and safety initiative with naloxone training, family-focused education, and youth engagement. Emphasizes prevention, health promotion, early detection, culturally sensitive treatment, traditional healing practices, and comprehensive aftercare.

City of Regina
Peer-Led, Enhanced Street Outreach Project – Regina, SK
$677,800 to purchases eight vans with supplies, while training and hiring peer drivers to connect unsheltered individuals experiencing mental health and addiction challenges to healing-focused programs and services.

City of Yorkton
Barriers to Access Coordinator Position – Yorkton, SK
$148,625 to create a system navigation coordinator position to assist individuals in crisis with accessing mental health and addiction care. Focuses on outreach and support across Yorkton and surrounding areas.

Manitoba

Northwest Metis Council Inc.
On the Road to Healing: A Mobile Outreach Initiative for the Opioid Crisis in the Manitoba Métis Federation Northwest Region – Dauphin, MB
$569,288 to address the opioid crisis among Red River Métis Citizens in the Manitoba Métis Federation Northwest Region by launching a mobile outreach van to provide prevention, education, and resources on opioid use.

City of Brandon
Harm Reduction Mobile Outreach – Brandon, MB
$425,530 to establish a harm reduction mobile outreach service in Brandon, Manitoba aimed at supporting homeless individuals, those in shelters, and those precariously housed by delivering essential harm reduction supplies.

Rolling River First Nation
Enhancing Mental Wellness Outreach and On-the-Land Programming for Recovery Support in Rolling River First Nation – Erickson, MB
$160,700 to improve the mental health and recovery services provided by Southquill Health Services for individuals struggling with mental health and substance use issues.

Sunshine House Inc.
Islands of Stability – Winnipeg, MB
An amendment of $119,855 to expand access to harm reduction supplies through enhanced outreach and program services. The project is also providing cultural supports, including a seasonal cultural camp to improve self-perception and connection to culture for individuals affected by substance use. Additionally, the project will support 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals in accessing withdrawal management and treatment, with a full-time systems navigator dedicated to facilitating referrals.