This funding will help people at risk of substance-related harms and overdose in the Scarborough region.
Scarborough – Every day, families and communities across Canada lose loved ones to overdoses from the increasingly toxic illegal drug supply. We are responding to this crisis by supporting a full range of health, social services and supports from prevention to treatment, harm reduction, or recovery. We are taking a collaborative, compassionate and evidence-based approach to increase access to services to promote well-being and resilience, to reduce stigma and harms, and save lives.
Shaun Chen, Member of Parliament for Scarborough North, on behalf of Ya’ara Saks, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, announced more than $81,000 in federal funding for L’Espoir de la Femme Immigrante, a non-for-profit community organization that aim to support young girls and women in the city of Toronto through social, economic, educational, and cultural services.
With this campaign, the organization will support black francophone young women and mothers of African origin living in Scarborough by giving them the knowledge, tools and skills to reduce the harms and risks associated with substance use.
The Government of Canada will continue to work with all levels of government, partners, Indigenous communities, stakeholders, people with lived and living experience, and community organizations across the country to support a full range of services and improve health outcomes for all Canadians, save lives and work towards an end to this national public health crisis.
“From Scarborough to across Canada we are investing in the tools that will help educate and protect our young people about substance use harms. Organizations like L’Espoir de la Femme Immigrante, are doing incredible work by educating young black francophone women and mothers in the community. With this investment, we are ensuring that they will be able to continue giving the knowledge, tools and skills in Scarborough to reduce the stigma around substance use and help keep people who use drugs safe. Thank you for everything you do in fostering the personal development, peer outreach and a network of support for young women and girls in our community.” – Ya’ara Saks, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health