Small Cities Gain New Tools to Address Toxic Drug Crisis

Press Release

May 26, 2026

About this news

The first municipally-led, integrated standards for prevention, treatment, harm reduction, recovery, policing services and policies and strategies to help small cities respond to substance use crises are now available from the Canadian Centre for Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA).

Developed with the recommendations and input from mayors and community leaders representing 30 regions across Canada, the Small Cities Playbook for Action and its Implementation Guide are practical resources any municipality can use and adapt to its unique needs.

The substance use crisis is a major public health issue that has hit communities hard, and smaller cities frequently lack the supports that larger ones have to address it effectively. Deaths and rising numbers of hospitalizations related to substance use, open substance use in public spaces and a lack of affordable housing are only a few of the challenges small cities face as they attempt to better serve the needs of their residents.

The Small Cities Playbook for Action features more than 50 possible evidence-based interventions a community can choose from and adapt based on their needs. Topics include prevention and early intervention, harm reduction and outreach, treatment and recovery, community and cultural supports, housing and employment supports and policing and public safety. The Implementation Guide is a step-by-step how-to to help communities get started. Examples of successful initiatives already operating across the country are also included.

The resources are part of CCSA’s multi-phased initiative, launched during a summit in Timmins, ON, in 2024. Co-hosted with the City of Timmins, the summit brought together elected leaders, public health officials, drug policy experts, local service providers, Indigenous representatives, resource industry leaders and people with lived and living experience to examine the impact of the substance use crisis on small-sized cities across Canada.

“Small cities like Timmins face many of the same challenges as large urban centres, but often without the same level of resources and specialized supports. This playbook recognizes those realities and provides practical, evidence-based solutions that communities can customize to fit their unique needs,” said Timmins Mayor Michelle Boileau. “It’s important to acknowledge that the conversations required to accomplish this were not always easy. I want to thank the municipal and community leaders who stepped forward to share their experience and expertise. Your participation is what makes this playbook invaluable.”

“The substance use crisis is not just a big city issue and there is no one-size-fits-all quick fix for it,” said CCSA’s CEO Dr. Alexander Caudarella, a family physician specialized in addiction issues. “Small cities understand the power of community. Solutions that work for smaller areas are possible; solutions that save lives and improve the health of whole communities. We brought together leaders from multiple sectors to discuss what works, what doesn’t, what has to be in place and what else is needed to support residents. We wanted to give them a voice in what happens in their own neighbourhoods. Then we collected it all to make available to others coast to coast to coast.”

The Playbook and Implementation Guide do not require expertise in substance use health. They are designed to be used by municipal leaders, service providers, harm reduction or treatment providers, people with lived or living experience, law enforcement officers or engaged residents. All resources and more information are available on the CCSA website.

Additional Quotes:

Dr. Kami Kandola, Chief Public Health Officer, NT

“Substance use tears at the social fabric that holds our northern communities together, especially when a loved one is lost to drugs. The grief reaches far beyond a single family, and many people are calling for the flow of harmful substances into our communities to stop. Community leaders feel this pressure deeply and want to make a real, visible difference.

The Small Cities Playbook offers practical, grounded tools to support this work — tools designed for places where financial resources are limited, staffing is stretched thin, and yet the determination to protect community wellness remains strong and unwavering. It provides a path forward for leaders who are ready to act with courage, clarity and hope.”

Michelle Staples, Mayor of Duncan, BC

“Small cities like Duncan see the impacts of the toxic drug crisis in very real and personal ways. After nearly 10 years of being declared a public health emergency in BC, our communities are carrying profound loss and grief. We are on the front lines of the toxic drug crisis, with the fewest tools and the greatest pressure to respond. The strength of this Playbook is that it recognizes there is no single solution to give small and mid-sized communities, we need them all and know that tools alone are not enough, we need the federal and provincial governments to respond to this as a Crisis, with the urgency, coordination and sustained resources required to support local solutions that save lives,”

Kathleen Rochon, Mayor of West Nipissing, ON

“Small communities like West Nipissing are not immune to the impacts of the substance use crisis. In many ways, we experience them more personally because the effects are felt across families, schools, workplaces and neighbourhoods. Rural and northern municipalities are often working with limited resources while trying to respond to increasingly complex challenges. We need a seat at the table, opportunities to share what’s working and support to build local approaches that reflect the realities of our communities.

The Small Cities Playbook for Action is valuable because it recognizes there is no single solution to the substance use crisis, especially in small, rural and northern communities. The playbook offers an array of evidence-based interventions that municipalities can choose from and adapt to fit their own local realities — whether that’s prevention and education, housing supports, treatment and recovery, harm reduction or public safety initiatives. For communities like West Nipissing, having access to practical tools and proven approaches that can be customized to work for us is an important step toward building healthier, safer and more resilient communities.”

Scott Christian, Mayor of Queens, NS

“This playbook is an incredibly valuable resource for a wide array of communities, each facing the substance use crisis in different ways. As a municipal leader representing a rural Atlantic Canadian community this puts practical solutions at my fingertips, to support members of our community currently being impacted by substance use, while also planning for the future with a focus on prevention.”

About CCSA:

CCSA was created by Parliament to provide national leadership to address substance use in Canada. A trusted counsel, we provide national guidance to decision makers by harnessing the power of research, curating knowledge and bringing together diverse perspectives. CCSA activities and products are made possible through a financial contribution from Health Canada. The views of CCSA do not necessarily represent the views of Health Canada.

Media contacts:

Christine LeBlanc, Senior Strategic Communications Advisor
Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction
cleblanc@ccsa.ca | 613-898-6343

Amanda Dyer, Corporate Communications Coordinator
City of Timmins
amanda.dyer@timmins.ca | 705-360-2600 ext. 2212

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