By Claude & Parth on 2026-04-01, City: Toronto, View Transcript
The Board of Health met to address critical public health issues facing Toronto's 3.2 million residents. The meeting focused on three major areas: the appointment of two new directors with expertise in Indigenous health and public health nutrition, the extension of the downtown CORE pilot program pairing nurses with police for homeless outreach, and an urgent response to provincial defunding of supervised consumption sites. The board passed a motion requesting the province continue funding these sites and, if cuts proceed, ensure alternative funding for primary care, housing referrals, and mental health services. The meeting also featured presentations on Toronto Public Health's 2025 achievements, Indigenous health partnerships, and the alarming drug toxicity crisis, with over 80% of fentanyl samples now contaminated with veterinary tranquilizers that cannot be reversed by naloxone.
The province is defunding remaining provincially-funded safe consumption sites in Toronto, including Fred Victor SCS and Moss Park consumption and treatment services. This will leave only two sites serving the entire city: Kensington Market overdose prevention site and Street Health. Existing sites are already "overwhelmed since the first wave of closures," with residents reporting a "significant increase in public drug use." The board passed a motion requesting the province continue funding and, if cuts proceed, ensure sites still receive funding for low barrier primary care, housing referrals, and mental health treatment. Toronto's drug checking service, which has analyzed 20,000 samples since 2019, is experiencing a 50% reduction in sample volumes due to site closures, eliminating critical information about dangerous substances in the drug supply.
Over 80% of fentanyl samples now contain medetomidine, a veterinary tranquilizer not approved for human use that cannot be reversed by naloxone. As one council member emphasized: "Naloxone is undoubtedly one of the most effective tools we have to reverse overdoses. But it does not reverse the effects of veterinary tranquilizers which are showing up in over 80% of fentanol samples." Since June 2025, Toronto has experienced a reversal of previous downward trends in both fatal and non-fatal overdose calls, with marked increases since October 2025 continuing into 2026. Acute drug toxicity is the leading cause of death among homeless individuals, contributing to 55% of reported deaths in 2024.
The Downtown Community Outreach Response Engagement (CORE) program, a partnership between Toronto Public Health and Toronto Police Services, will be extended for another 18 months. The program has completed 8,431 client interactions across 568 shifts, served 265 clients through case management, and secured housing for nine people, including four at a supportive housing facility. The program is expanding its service area and adding new nursing functions including wound care and immunizations. The Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area, representing approximately 2,000 businesses with combined commercial property value of $7 billion, reported positive community feedback, with 21% of respondents aware of the CORE team after just eight months.
Toronto Public Health presented a comprehensive two-year update on actions to advance Indigenous health, marking a shift from consultation to co-development and shared decision-making with Indigenous organizations. The Indigenous Wellness Committee, established in April 2024, includes representatives from 17 Indigenous-led organizations. Major changes include removing TPH as intermediary in distributing Toronto Indigenous Health Fund money, with funding now going directly to the Toronto Aboriginal Support Services Council for distribution to Indigenous service providers. Cultural safety training is now mandatory for all TPH staff, and the department is incorporating traditional Indigenous protocols, including offering tobacco to organizational representatives. A survey of 77 CORE program clients revealed that 35% identified as Indigenous, highlighting significant service needs for this population.
Over 11,000 people are experiencing homelessness in Toronto as of January 2026, with alarming health disparities: the median age at death is 50 years for males and 38 years for females experiencing homelessness, compared to 78 years for males and 85 years for females in the general population—nearly a 50-year gap for females. Annual healthcare expenditures are roughly seven times higher for people experiencing homelessness. Toronto Public Health is implementing 27 crisis beds through the HEART Hub funding program, with nine clients currently in the program receiving permanent housing using a rent-geared-to-income model. The program uses a recovery-focused model that doesn't require clients to be in recovery to qualify, supporting people through relapse cycles.
Passed: - HL 31.4: Toronto Public Health operating budget for year ending December 31, 2025 - HL 31.5: Toronto Public Health Capital Budget for year ending December 31, 2025 - HL 31.6: City-approved Toronto Public Health 2026 operating budget - HL 31.7: City-approved Toronto Public Health 2026 capital budget and 2027-2035 capital plan - HL 31.8: 2025 Performance Appraisal of Medical Officer of Health - HL 31.10: New appointments to the Board of Health (with corrections to appointment ending dates) - HL 31.1: 2025 Year in Review of Toronto Public Health - Motion requesting the province continue funding supervised consumption sites and, if provincial funding is cut, ensure sites receive funding for low barrier primary care, housing referrals, and mental health treatment - Motion to extend Downtown CORE pilot program for 18 months with expanded service area including Union Station - Motion recommending Toronto sign letter from Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, Drug Strategy Network of Ontario, and HIV Legal Network urging province to reconsider defunding provincially funded supervised consumption sites