Canadians were already in the grip of an opioid crisis before the COVID-19 pandemic began and, five years later, the situation is even more dire. Emergency room visits for fentanyl-related opioid overdoses have more than doubled since tracking began in 2018, an increase that has turned the overdose crisis into a complex public-health issue with devastating effects on drug users and their families.

Addiction and mental health are deeply interconnected. According to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, or CAMH, individuals with mental illnesses are twice as likely to experience a substance use disorder when compared to the general population. Furthermore, those with substance use disorders are three times more likely to have a mental-health issue. Individuals experiencing homelessness in Canada are at even greater risk, with between 23 per cent and 67 per cent meeting the criteria for mental illness, depending on the city. 

With roughly 67,000 substance-related deaths each year in Canada, the need for trained mental-health and addiction professionals has never been more urgent. As the stigma surrounding substance use and mental health gradually diminishes,........

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