By Richard Coffin

The mayors of several small cities, including West Nipissing, are gathering in Lethbridge, Alberta next week (April 14-16) to continue their work on addressing substance use issues.  

The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction says they’re developing the first municipally led, integrated standards for treatment, harm reduction, recovery, prevention and enforcement services, policies and strategies.  

Representatives from across Canada will be there.  

Officials say open substance use in public spaces, rising numbers of substance use–related hospitalizations and deaths, and a lack of affordable and stable housing are only a few of the challenges small cities face.  

“Between January 2016 and September 2023, over 42,000 people living in Canada died due to apparent opioid toxicity,” states a release. “The overall death rate and negative impacts to health, mental health and well-being due to all substances are much higher.” 

The centre says municipal leaders are working towards developing standards to help unlock government support, as well as reduce the growing polarization around the crisis. 

The municipal leaders table is the next phase of the initiative, which started with a summit in Timmins last summer.