St. Catharine’s, Ontario
Positive Living Niagara
Collaborating to Monitor and Raise Awareness of Local Drug Supply and Coordinate Responses
Requested amount: <$50,000
The Challenge
With the recent funding cuts to its Consumption and Treatment Site (CTS) Niagara is at risk of losing critical drug market monitoring and the staffing expertise that has supported these services for years while navigating a highly unpredictable drug supply. Drug checking has shown to be highly effective in individuals reducing the use or disposing of toxic substances, demonstrating that knowledge about the supply is instrumental in preventing drug poisonings and deaths.
Positive Living Niagara is currently on the cusp of receiving Health Canada approvals for Mobile Drug Checking Services, creating an opportunity to preserve and expand these services across Niagara. Leveraging the expertise of former CTS staff and alongside Niagara Region Public Health and the Niagara Substance Use Strategy, this project responds to the urgent need for accessible drug checking in the absence of supervised consumption space.
The Approach
This program will focus on knowledge transfer from former CTS staff to existing mobile outreach teams, ensuring continuity of expertise. It will coordinate training through SCATR and drug testing strips, support service delivery during expanded outreach hours, and work with sector partners to disseminate information. This project will expand access to services, improve local drug market monitoring, and allow for faster coordinated responses to changes in the toxic supply. A strong focus on knowledge translation and staff capacity-building will also support sustainability beyond the funding period by embedding drug checking expertise within existing outreach teams.
What Success Looks Like
Positive Living Niagara expects this program to increase understanding of the local drug supply,
informing both community response and individual use. Specific measures include:
- Number of people participating in drug checking services
- Number of drug samples checked
- Expanded service hours achieved
- Expanded geographic scope to all 12 Niagara Municipalities
- Improved Adverse Reaction Advisory Alerts from the Niagara Substance Use Strategy
- Participant feedback about program implementation and access
- Self-reported feedback on changes in substance use (used the same, used less, disposed of substance).
Project Timeline
This program can be implemented within 1-4 weeks of receiving funding, and would need to run for at least 6 months to evaluate impact.
Funding Need
$50,000 over 6 months.
Budget available upon request.
If you’d like to support or reach out with any questions about this project, please contact:
Talia Storm
Executive Director
tstorm@positivelivingniagara.com