Across Ontario, from big cities to small towns, the opioid crisis is getting worse – and it’s hitting working people the hardest. Construction workers. First responders. Parents. Young people. People who just need a hand to get back on their feet.
The reality is this: more Ontarians are living with opioid addiction every day, and yet the number of people receiving treatment for opioid use disorder in Ontario has remained stagnant since 2020¹ That’s not right – and it’s costing us all. This reality demands urgent action from Ontario policymakers.
We’re seeing an increased strain on emergency services². And it is having an impact on our economy too; our province is already losing workers to untreated addiction, exacerbating today’s labour shortages and economic hardship³. Addressing this crisis through improving access to treatment is essential to Ontario’s prosperity and most importantly, the health of our local communities.
That’s why a group of people and organizations on the front lines – health professionals, first responders, non-profits, labour leaders, industry and local mayors – have come together to form One Step Forward: An Alliance for Advancing Recovery. Their message is simple: recovery is possible. But the system needs to make it easier for people to get help when they’re ready.
Based on extensive consultations, the group has put four practical ideas on the table that could help thousands of people get back their lives:
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Establish a cross-ministry Emergency Task Force to ensure coordinated action and swift decision-making across government departments.
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Launch and fund a province-wide Virtual Opioid Addiction Treatment Service, providing immediate access to treatment regardless of geographic location.
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Reform addiction care compensation models, shifting from the current fee-for-service approach to one that supports patient-centered care. Empower pharmacists by updating Ontario's pharmacy regulations to permit them to administer therapies approved by Health Canada since 2019.
These are common sense changes that would get more Ontarians the help they need, when they need it.
As Steve Doherty of Youth Without Shelter puts it: “Once we have saved a life, we need to help individuals actually get their life back. This means treatment and recovery, so people can reconnect with their families, their communities, and their jobs.”
Premier Ford has always said his government is here to support the average Ontarian. To make government work for the people. To cut through the noise and focus on what matters. That’s exactly what this is about.
This isn’t a political issue – it’s a people issue. It’s about doing what’s right. Getting real results and building an Ontario where no one falls through the cracks.
To learn more, become involved, or lend your voice to the movement, visit OneStepForward.ca. The campaign was an initiative of and made possible through funding from Indivior.
¹ Ontario Drug Policy Research Network. Ontario Opioid Tool - ODPRN. This number reflects individuals receiving opioid agonist therapy as it is one of the few readily available Ontario data points reflective of those in treatment.
² The Opioid Crisis: A Municipal Perspective. Report accessed on April 29, 2025.
³ Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction. Canadian substance use costs and harms: 2017–2021 (2023). https://csuch.ca/documents/reports/english/Canadian-Substance-Use-Costs-and-Harms-Report-2023-en.pdf. Website accessed April 25, 2025.
