Directed to: Ontario Ministry of Health and the Government of Ontario

For many people, asking for help is the hardest step they will ever take, but too often, they are told to wait. 

The decision to seek treatment may come after months or years of living with the effects of substance use and is often accompanied by fear, hesitation, and uncertainty. It is a critical moment when someone is ready to change their life. Yet in Toronto and across Ontario, individuals seeking publicly funded detox and residential addiction treatment are frequently placed on waitlists that last weeks or even months. 

While individuals are waiting for treatment, their health and safety remain at risk. People remain exposed to an increasingly toxic and unpredictable drug supply, worsening mental and physical health, and the ongoing danger of overdose. Families live in constant fear, knowing that every day of waiting could mean losing someone they love. When treatment is delayed, motivation can fade, crises can escalate, and opportunities for recovery may be lost. 

Those who can afford private treatment may access care immediately. However, private rehabilitation programs in Ontario can cost between $5,000 and $30,000 or more for only a few weeks of treatment. For many individuals and families, this cost is simply not possible. Access to life saving care should not depend on a person's financial resources. 

Without enough publicly funded treatment spaces, people are left cycling through emergency rooms, shelters, crisis services and even the justice system rather than receiving the stable, long-term support they need. 

Calling on the Government of Ontario to:

• Increase funding to expand publicly funded detox and residential treatment spaces.
• Implement transparent public reporting of wait times for addiction treatment programs. 
• Ensure timely access to addiction treatment across Ontario. 

Recovery is possible, but timing matters, and no one should have to wait for a chance to survive. When someone is ready for help, the system should be ready to support them. 

Sources:

CMHA Ontario 2025 pre-budget submission. (n.d.). https://ontario.cmha.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Ontario-Pre-Budget-2025-FINAL.pdf

ConnexOntario. (2025). Ontario Mental Health & Addictions Services Directory. ConnexOntario. https://connexontario.ca/organization-list/

Lysyk, B. (2019). Addictions-Related treatment wait times, emergency department visits and deaths rising despite increased spending: Auditor General. https://www.auditor.on.ca/en/content/news/19_newsreleases/2019news_v1_3.02.pdf

Photo Credit: Matt Collamer, Unsplash

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