Harm Reduction Windsor: Resources

06/11/2026

📢 Free Webinar Opportunity - Jun 17, 2026 12:00 PM

Looking to learn more and connect with others? Here's an upcoming webinar that may be of interest!

🗓️ Register here:
Zoom Webinar Registeration: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-VOdIYhgQMavqntuQt5-DQ?/registration #/registration

Whether you're interested in community engagement, advocacy, peer support, or expanding your knowledge, this is a great opportunity to learn and connect.

Feel free to share with anyone who may be interested! 🤗

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Featuring: • Dr. Anat Ziv, Lead CSUCH Researcher; Research and Policy Analyst • Dr. Adam Sherk, CCSA Senior Scientist and Special Policy Advisor; adjunct associate professor, University of Victoria’s School of Public Health and Social Policy Learn about the Canadian Substance Use Costs and Har...

06/10/2026

06/09/2026

📢 Update on Welcome Centre Shelter Funding

A motion requesting $192,523 in emergency funding for the Welcome Centre Shelter for Women and Families has been deferred until July 27 by Windsor City Council. The funding would support 12 additional shelter beds to help address ongoing demand.

The shelter says it continues to turn away women and families due to capacity pressures, while supporters of the motion expressed disappointment that community delegates were not given the opportunity to speak before the matter was postponed.

Council members who supported the deferral said they want additional information from administration before making a funding decision. The Welcome Centre currently receives annual operational and facility support from the City and serves women and families experiencing homelessness in Windsor.

💬 The discussion will return to Council at the end of July.

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06/09/2026

Windsor Considers Selling Vacant Caron Avenue Property

Windsor City Council is considering the sale of a vacant city-owned property at 673 Caron Avenue after receiving interest from a potential buyer. The land was acquired by the city through unpaid taxes, and the former building on the site has since been demolished.

Before proceeding with a sale, council must first declare the property surplus and obtain an appraisal. Ward 3 Councillor Renaldo Agostino says he wants to explore whether the site could still be used for housing as part of Windsor's housing development efforts before it is sold.

Questions remain about the property's suitability for residential development due to possible contamination from previous commercial uses and its proximity to nearby rail lines. If council approves the proposal, the property would be publicly listed for sale, with final details returning to council for approval.

The city may sell the vacant Caron Avenue lot, but councillors first want to determine whether it could be used to help address Windsor's housing needs.

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06/06/2026

Chatham-Kent has completed a new 25-year Strategic Housing Action Plan to help meet future housing needs. The plan estimates the municipality will need more than 6,000 new housing units, including 1,835 affordable housing units, by 2050. It focuses on improving housing affordability, expanding supportive housing, reducing homelessness, encouraging higher-density development, streamlining approvals, and using municipal land and financial incentives to support new housing projects.

The plan will be rolled out in phases, starting with lower-cost policy changes and progressing to larger investments over time. Municipal staff say the goal is to ensure residents have access to safe, affordable, and appropriate housing while supporting population and economic growth.

Without action, more residents could face housing insecurity, overcrowding, and affordability challenges, which could also impact Chatham-Kent's ability to attract and retain workers.

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06/02/2026

Windsor's Development and Heritage Standing Committee voted to approve the rezoning needed for The Residences at Roseland, a proposed four-storey condominium development at the Roseland Golf Course site.

The project, led by Valente Development and Bear Construction, would include 48 condominium units ranging from approximately 700 to 1,555 square feet, with a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom layouts. Most units would overlook the golf course.

During the public consultation process, some residents supported the project as a way to provide housing and allow longtime South Windsor residents to downsize while remaining in the neighbourhood. Others raised concerns about traffic, infrastructure capacity, taxes, neighbourhood character, and the possibility of more high-density developments following in the area.

Committee members ultimately supported the rezoning, moving the proposal one step closer to construction. The recommendation now proceeds to Windsor City Council for final approval.

The condo project is part of the City's Housing Solutions Made for Windsor initiative. The overall development is valued at about $33.5 million and is tied to plans for a new Roseland Golf Clubhouse.

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Despite concerns from some neighbours about density and infrastructure, the committee determined the project should move forward, citing the need for additional housing and the project's alignment with Windsor's broader housing goals.

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06/01/2026

The B.C. government has halted plans to open a new overdose prevention site at 900 Helmcken Street in downtown Vancouver after concerns were raised by local businesses, residents, community partners, and city officials. The site was intended to replace the Thomas Donaghy Overdose Prevention Site, which had closed and was being relocated due to safety concerns.

Health Minister Josie Osborne announced that the province will not proceed with opening the site at this location "at this time," and no opening date has been set. The province says it will continue discussions with stakeholders and work toward finding a solution that balances community concerns with the need for overdose prevention services.

The decision comes amid ongoing debate in Vancouver about how to respond to the toxic drug crisis. Supporters argue that overdose prevention sites save lives, connect people to health care, and reduce harms associated with public drug use, while opponents have raised concerns about safety and impacts on surrounding neighbourhoods.

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06/01/2026

Advocates Rally to Keep Supervised Consumption Sites Open

Advocates, healthcare workers, community organizations, faith leaders, and people with lived experience gathered in Toronto to protest Ontario's planned funding cuts to the province's remaining supervised consumption sites. Funding is expected to end on June 13, with the province shifting its focus to abstinence-based treatment through new HART (Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment) hubs.

Speakers at the rally argued that supervised consumption sites are life-saving services that do much more than provide a safer place to use substances. They connect people to healthcare, mental health supports, housing resources, and treatment options while preventing overdose deaths.

Advocates expressed concern that closing the sites could worsen Ontario's toxic drug crisis. They pointed to rising overdose-related emergency calls and stressed that not everyone's recovery journey begins with abstinence. Many believe the province should expand both harm reduction services and treatment options rather than replace one with the other.

According to federal data cited in the article, supervised consumption sites in Ontario recorded more than 1.4 million visits between 2020 and late 2025 and reversed over 26,000 overdoses.

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05/31/2026

Local MPPs are urging the Ontario government to continue funding House of Hope in London, a supportive housing program that helps people move from chronic homelessness into stable housing.

According to a recent evaluation, residents experienced major improvements after moving into the program, including:

- Hundreds fewer emergency room visits.

- Fewer hospital stays.

- Reduced interactions with police.

- Better access to primary healthcare and addiction treatment.

The MPPs argue that supportive housing not only improves lives but also saves public money by reducing pressure on healthcare, emergency, and justice systems. They are asking the province to provide approximately $1.37 million annually to keep the program operating.

Without additional funding, House of Hope could close, potentially forcing residents back into homelessness despite the program's documented success.

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05/31/2026

Kenneth Law, a Canadian man, is accused of selling a toxic substance online that was used by vulnerable people to end their lives. Investigations from multiple countries have linked his activities to nearly 150 deaths worldwide, including a large number in the UK and Canada.

He allegedly ran websites that marketed and sold sodium nitrite (a chemical that can be deadly in high doses), often targeting people already struggling with suicidal thoughts. Authorities say he sent over a thousand packages across dozens of countries.

In Canada, Law has pleaded guilty to 14 counts of aiding su***de, while earlier murder charges were dropped as part of a legal deal. His sentencing is still pending.

The case has sparked international outrage and concern, with families of victims and advocates calling for stronger regulation of online sales of harmful substances and better protections for vulnerable people online.

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