Category: Physical Health

Woodstein Media Podcast Episode 22: StreetWorks director Talia Storm on harm reduction, supervised consumption, safer supply

Posted on by Colin Burrowes

This episode spotlights harm reduction services provided by Positive Living Niagara.  Talia Storm, Director of StreetWorks Services, discusses supervised consumption, safer supply and other services that have saved lives during the toxic drug crisis. As Storm says, the staff at StreetWorks are just the passengers, and the individuals accessing the services are driving the car because harm reduction is an aspect of the treatment continuum that aims to empower and respect a person’s right to self-determination.

There were 36,442 apparent opioid toxicity deaths in Canada between January 2016 and December 2022.

A total of 7,328 apparent opioid toxicity deaths occurred in 2022. This is an average of 20 deaths per day. In 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, the average number of deaths per day was 10. The average number of deaths per day peaked at 22 in 2021. However, based on current national data, analyses show no significant decrease in trend, and rates remain high.

Roller derby will bounce back, skates are already hitting the track: Hogtown edition

Posted on by Colin Burrowes

As pandemic-related restrictions loosen, many people across Ontario and beyond hope to lace up their roller skates and hit the roller derby track again. This series of articles will check in with teams as they prepare for some action in 2022-23. This time, Hogtown Roller Derby’s Emily Fowler, whom some people in the derby community might know better as Holly de Havilland, shares an update on the rebound of roller derby in Toronto, or if you prefer, Hogtown.

Roller derby will bounce back, skates are already hitting the track: Guelph edition

Posted on by Colin Burrowes

As pandemic-related restrictions loosen, many people across Ontario and beyond are hoping they can lace up their roller skates and hit the roller derby track again. This series of articles will check in with teams as they prepare for some action in 2022-23. This time, Royal City Roller Derby’s Steph Ziegler, whom some people in the derby community might know better as Sleeping Brutey, shares an update on the rebound of roller derby in Guelph.

Drug User Liberation Front saves lives by distributing clean meth, cocaine and heroin

Posted on by Colin Burrowes

This is the first feature in a three-part series diving into aspects of the opioid pandemic, the overdose crisis, whatever you wish to call it. It is a public health crisis which became exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Canada’s Public Health database, there was a 95 percent increase in apparent opioid toxicity deaths from April 2020 to March 2021,  with a total of 7,224 deaths, compared to 3,711 deaths from April 2019 to March 2020. Since then, deaths have remained high.

These statistics were published in March 2022 and only went as far as September 2021, but by that point, 5,368 apparent opioid toxicity deaths had occurred. This is approximately 20 deaths per day. For a similar timeframe in the years before the pandemic, there were between 7 in 2016 and 12 in 2018 deaths per day.

Debate digs into mental health, education and hate affecting marginalized Ontarians

Posted on by Colin Burrowes

On May 26, over 30 organizations collaborated as Queer Vote Ontario to host a provincial debate on issues facing the 2SLGBTQI+ community and other marginalized groups of Ontarians. The None of the Above Party, NDP, Green Party and Liberals thought the event was worthy of acknowledgement and participation.
The Ontario Party, the New Blue Party and the Progressive Conservative Party chose not to participate in a discussion of the needs of equity-seeking communities.

This is the first of two articles covering the debate. The election is on June 2. Woodstein Media intends to help people make informed choices at the polls.

Queer Vote Ontario debate promotes discussion of issues facing marginalized communities

Posted on by Colin Burrowes

Issues facing the Queer, equity-deserving and marginalized communities in the Ontario election will be the focus of a debate being hosted on May 26.

Updated the list of participants as of May 24 at 5:30 pm.

The following candidates are participating: Green Party of Ontario candidate for Nippising, Sean McClocklin, Ontario Liberal Party candidate for Willowdale, Paul Saguil, NDP candidate for Toronto Centre, Kristyn Wong-Tam, and None of the Above Party candidate for Mississauga-Streetsville Greg Vezina.