Opioid and Safer Supply Resources

Health care providers play a critical role

Safer supply prescribing as a concept is gaining momentum across the country, and health care providers have a critical role and opportunity to provide interventions and care.

Nearly 30 per cent of people who died of opioid-related toxicity in Ontario during 2019 or 2020 interacted with the health care system the week before their death, with almost 60 per cent having health care contact in the month before their death.

Learn more about safer supply from Dr. Nanky Rai, a family physician at the Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre.

Video: The Need for Primary Care Providers to Offer Safer Supply (22 minutes)
Video: Prescribing Safer Supply (10 minutes)

Community of practice

The National Safer Supply Community of Practice aims to facilitate knowledge exchange, skill-sharing and capacity building to scale up safer supply and support safer supply programs and prescribers across Canada.

Join the community of practice and:

Receive prescriber mentoring and participate in forums
Access newsletters, webinars and resources
Access a consultation line and weekly drop-in calls to ask questions, share information about safer supply practices and discuss current issues

Opioid use statistics in Niagara

Learn about overdoses, emergency visits, hospitalizations, deaths, and naloxone distribution. See opioid use in Niagara.

REACH Niagara

Learn how REACH Niagara is making healthcare accessible for the homeless and marginalized in Niagara.

To join the REACH Niagara team, email info@reachniagara.com.

Patient supports

For patient supports in Niagara, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, call 211.

Prevention and education

Learn how prevention, harm reduction, treatment and enforcement agencies are working together to decrease opioid overdoses in Niagara.

Visit Overdose Prevention and Education Network of Niagara.

More information

Advice from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario on prescribing drugs

The college recognizes that providing pharmaceutical-grade alternatives to the toxic street supply, both in the context of a comprehensive treatment plan or as a standalone harm reduction strategy, can enable physicians to support patients with opioid use disorder and reduce their risk of overdose and death.

See advice to the profession about prescribing drugs.
The difference between opioid agonist treatment and safer supply

Opioid agonist treatment involves the use of different medications to prevent withdrawal and lower cravings for opioid drugs.

Safer supply refers to providing prescribed medications as a safer alternative to the toxic illegal drug supply to people who are at high risk of overdose.

Learn more about the difference between safer supply and opioid agonist treatment.