Governments Must Maintain a Full Continuum of Care in Response to the Toxic Drug Crisis

The Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) is deeply concerned by recent reporting on supervised consumption services in Saskatoon and the broader signals this sends about the direction of substance use policy in Canada. While investments in treatment and recovery are essential, they cannot come at the expense of other evidence-based interventions that save lives.

“An effective response to the toxic drug crisis requires a full continuum of care,” said Ian Culbert, Executive Director of CPHA. “Recovery services are a critical component of that continuum, but they are not the only component. For people who are not ready or able to pursue treatment, supervised consumption services are essential, life-saving supports that must remain available.”

Supervised consumption services (SCS) are among the most rigorously studied public health interventions. A substantial body of peer-reviewed evidence demonstrates that they reduce overdose deaths, prevent the transmission of infectious diseases, and connect people to health and social services, including pathways to treatment and recovery. They also improve community safety by reducing public drug use and discarded needles.

Recent decisions and discussions across multiple provinces—including Ontario and Alberta—have raised concerns about a shift away from this comprehensive, evidence-informed approach. CPHA has previously spoken out against the defunding and closure of SCS in those jurisdictions, emphasizing that removing these services undermines critical public health infrastructure and places additional strain on emergency and acute care systems.

“Framing policy responses as ‘recovery-focused’ risks creating a false dichotomy,” Culbert added. “People do not move through substance use and recovery in a linear way. Many require sustained engagement, trust, and support before they are ready to pursue treatment. Supervised consumption services often provide that first point of contact.”

CPHA urges all levels of government to:

• Maintain and expand access to supervised consumption services as part of a comprehensive response to the toxic drug crisis;
• Invest in a full spectrum of services, including prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery;
• Engage meaningfully with people who use drugs, service providers, and communities to inform policy decisions; and
• Ground all actions in the best available evidence, with a focus on reducing preventable deaths and improving population health outcomes.

Canada continues to experience unprecedented levels of drug toxicity-related harms. Addressing this crisis requires pragmatic, compassionate, and evidence-informed leadership that recognizes the diverse needs of people who use drugs.

“Lives depend on it,” said Culbert. “We cannot afford to narrow our approach when the evidence clearly shows that a comprehensive strategy is what works.”