Community Drug and Alcohol Strategy

In 2024, Grey Bruce Public Health (GBPH) took on the role of coordinating the Community Drug and Alcohol Strategy (CDAS). This transition also marked the start of refreshing the CDAS Strategic Plan. An in-person strategic planning session was held at GBPH on June 3, 2024, which brought together 51 individuals representing 25 agencies and groups from across 12 different sectors. The following guiding principles were developed collaboratively, providing the foundation for moving the work of the CDAS forward. Partners of the CDAS recognize that:

• Substance use and addiction are complex.
• Reducing substance-related harms involves shared responsibility, requiring active participation of many sectors, including and beyond health.
• People with lived and living experience of substance use and addiction should be represented at all levels of decision-making.
• All people have the right to deliver and participate in services and supports in an environment of mutual respect, compassion, and dignity.
• Best practices in substance use and addiction includes offering a range of supports, including harm reduction and abstinence‐based models.
• Greatest impact will be achieved with balanced efforts across the four pillars of prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and enforcement.
• Harmful substance use is best addressed through a social determinants of health lens with an anti-oppression, anti-racism, and decolonization approach.

Final May 23 CDAS Strategic Planning Session - Pre-reading

Final May 28 CDAS Strat Plan Partner Survey Results

CDAS Strategic Planning Session Report - Arising Collective

On behalf of CDAS, GBPH is pleased to share the Strategic Plan for 2025-2029, and supporting documents.

Grey Bruce CDAS Strategic Plan 2025-2029

Through the strategic planning process, we have identified five community priorities that require a collaborative approach to develop and implement rural solutions:

1. Enhance community safety and reduce the harms of opioids and the poisonous unregulated drug supply.
2. Reduce the harms associated with alcohol use.
3. Prevent and or delay youth substance use.
4. Increase access to inclusive, culturally safe, and respectful care, support, and services.
5. Reduce stigma and its impact through evidence-informed education, training, and communications.

Building on its strength as a collaborative network, CDAS is committed to building system capacity to address these community priorities by investing in 3 strategic focus areas:

1. Nourish Our Relationships
2. Engage in Collective Action
3. Amplify Diverse Voices and Perspectives

This web page will continue to be updated with project plans, work plans, and evaluation documents, as they become available.