Yukon's substance use emergency strategy has lots of recommendations, no timelines

A new sober shelter, a managed alcohol program, better housing, and more restorative justice options are among the dozens of recommendations included in Yukon's new substance use health emergency strategy, presented by the territorial government on Wednesday.

The broad-ranging 60-page document, developed by the territorial government in partnership with the RCMP, the chief medical officer, and the Council of Yukon First Nations, says it "represents an urgent call to action" to deal with Yukon's ongoing substance use crisis, and is based on consultations with community organizations, police, front-line workers, among others.

"Is it perfect? No. Will it be our road map forward for a while? Yes. Will we change it if we need to? Absolutely," said Health and Social Services Minister Tracy-Anne McPhee, at a news conference on Wednesday afternoon.

"This is all about saving one more person. Giving one more person some options that they think they don't have, and making that available to them in the best possible way."

The release of the strategy follows the territorial government's declaration of a substance use emergency in the Yukon  in January 2022. That declaration was made as the territory's death toll related to opioids and other substances continued to rise.

Some Yukon First Nations have also declared their own local substance use emergencies.

Yukon continues to face Canada's highest per-capita death rate from illicit drugs. 

So far this year, the territory has seen 12 people die due to toxic illicit substances, Yukon's chief coroner confirmed on Tuesday. Coroner Heather Jones said two more deaths are suspected to involve toxic drugs, but officials are awaiting toxicology results to confirm.

Jones said of those 12 deaths, 11 involved cocaine, nine also involved opioids and eight involved fentanyl.

43 recommended actions, no timelines

The strategy — which focuses on alcohol use as well as illicit drugs — lists 43 recommended actions, organized under four general areas of focus: prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery support, and community safety and wellbeing.

Some of the recommended actions are specific, such as implementing a managed alcohol program, opening a sobering centre and a sobering shelter, extending the hours of Whitehorse's safe consumption site, and making naloxone more widely available.

Others are less concrete, such as improving services for victims of crime, supporting "effective and accountable" policing, increasing housing options in the territory, and investing in "supporting Yukon youth, families and communities." 

The strategy document does not include any specific timelines for any of the actions.

McPhee said that her government has prioritized 14 of the recommended actions but she did not specify which ones.

She also stressed that the strategy is not just for the territorial government.  

"I hope all of our partners see themselves in this strategy. I hope our government partners, First Nations governments, communities, see themselves in this strategy, see something that they can decide to do or think about or implement."

She also stressed that the strategy is meant to be a "living document" that may evolve or "morph into something else" based on new research, statistics, or feedback from communities.

Yukon RCMP Chief Supt. Scott Sheppard, also speaking at Wednesday's news conference, said much of the strategy focuses on health and social issues, though law enforcement will also be a "key pillar." 

"I consider it a roadmap that has some of the major thoroughfares and arteries marked on it, but some of the smaller roads and pathways — we still need to figure those out," he said.

"The RCMP, as it has been all along, will continue to work very, very hard to play our role, not just in public safety, but equally in harm reduction."

Dr. Sudit Ranade, Yukon's chief medical officer, said Wednesday he was hopeful that the strategy would help reduce the harm associated with substance use, and also help prevent people from using illicit drugs in the first place. 

"I think what you're seeing in the strategy is an attempt to look at the different places that we can have impacts, acknowledging that the issue is widespread and touches on so many parts of society. It touches on education, it touches on health, it touches on justice," Ranade said.

Peter Johnston, grand chief of the Council of Yukon First Nations, also spoke at Wednesday's news conference and at times grew emotional as he talked about the urgent challenges facing First Nations in Yukon. 

He said he welcomes the new substance use strategy. 

"We need these. These are important. These are going to identify resources to our communities. These are going to activate policies and mandates," Johnston said.

"The worst thing I want to see in a couple of years is that this is now a political campaign, right? This is not where we need to go. We need to take action today."