The Honourable Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Minister of National Revenue and Member of Parliament for Delta-Richmond East, and Susan Truppe, Parliamentary Secretary for Status of Women and Member of Parliament for London North Centre, today announced on behalf of the Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Health, almost $24 million of funding over two years to develop innovative approaches that strengthen and improve substance abuse treatment systems across Canada which will help individuals living with drug addictions and their families through the treatment and recovery process.
Today's two-year investment comes from the Government of Canada's National Anti-Drug Strategy and will support 14 treatment initiatives to be delivered through provinces, territories and other key stakeholders. These initiatives will strengthen and improve substance abuse treatment across Canada through increased collaboration and information sharing among treatment providers so that people in need can receive the best support possible to get them on the road to recovery. Some of these initiatives will also address the treatment of prescription drug abuse, which has emerged as one of the leading public health and safety concerns in Canada.
The Government's National Anti-Drug Strategy focuses on preventing illicit drug use and prescription drug abuse, treating drug dependency and combating the production and distribution of illicit drugs. Over the past several months, the Government of Canada has taken a number of steps to specifically address prescription drug abuse, including:
- launching a national marketing campaign to equip parents with the information and tools needed to talk with their teenagers about the harmful effects of prescription drug abuse;
- providing $13.5 million over five years to enhance prevention and treatment services for prescription drug abuse in First Nations communities;
- enhancing the Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse (CRISM), a national research network aimed at improving the health of Canadians living with substance misuse;
- announcing nearly $8 million to support projects to improve prescriber education and to support the development of a national approach to the monitoring and surveillance of prescription drugs; and,
- announcing nearly $13 million over five years to increase the number of annual pharmacy inspections carried out by Health Canada.
"Investments in treatment help improve the lives of people struggling with addiction and drug abuse, as well as the lives of their families and children. There is a great deal of work in this area happening across the country, and our Government will continue to support efforts at the community and regional levels in prevention, treatment and recovery from addiction."
The Honourable Kerry-Lynne D. Findlay, P.C., Q.C., MP for Delta—Richmond East and Minister of National Revenue
"Providing the best care for Canadians with substance use disorders requires collaboration among multiple levels of government and numerous sectors such as health care, mental health, education, social services and criminal justice. We applaud the progress being made under the Government's National Anti-Drug Strategy. The funding provided to the provinces and territories will support the implementation of evidence-informed practices, evaluation of what works and multi-jurisdictional linkages — all vital components to improving the quality, accessibility and range of addiction treatment services, respectful of regional and cultural differences. Through DTFP funding, CCSA has led initiatives such as the creation of an online forum to facilitate knowledge exchange and collaboration across the country; established the National Treatment Indicators, which provide a pan-Canadian picture of service provision and use; hosted the first-ever National Summit on Addiction Recovery; and is currently developing clinical pathways to make treatment more effective for youth and the elderly needing care for their prescription drug addiction. Today's announcement demonstrates the government's ongoing commitment to improving the care of Canadians suffering with substance use disorders."
Rita Notarandrea, Chief Executive Officer (interim), Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse
Minister Findlay, Minister of National Revenue, announces close to $24 million for drug treatment initiatives across Canada in Vancouver, BC.
Minister Findlay announces funding for drug treatment initiatives across Canada in Vancouver, BC
Left to right: Denise Bradshaw ,Program Director, BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services; Marika Sandrelli,DTFP Addiction Knowledge Exchange Leader with Fraser Health; Lynn Pelletier, Vice President of the Provincial Mental Health and Substance Use Services; and The Honourable Kerry-Lynne D. Findlay, P.C., Q.C., MP for Delta—Richmond East and Minister of National Revenue.
Member of Parliament Susan Truppe, London North Centre, announces drug treatment initiatives across Canada in London, ON.
MP Susan Truppe announces close to $24M for drug treatment initiatives across Canada in London, ON.
From Left to Right: Pamela J. Hill, Director of Clinical Services, Addiction Services of Thames Valley; MP Susan Truppe; Samantha Scott, first London graduate of the drug treatment court program; and Rita Notarandrea, Chief Executive Officer (interim), Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse.
Michael Bolkenius
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