The Simcoe Muskoka Drug Strategy (SMDS) is a large partnership of agencies, organizations and individuals committed to working together to address the harms associated with the current drug toxicity crisis being experienced throughout our region. SMDS is an extension of the work previously undertaken by the Simcoe Muskoka Opioid Strategy (SMOS), which transitioned to SMDS in spring 2023.

A final report on the work implemented by SMOS can be found at, Simcoe Muskoka Opioid Strategy (SMOS) A Report on Actions (2018-2021).

As we moved through the spring in 2026, our community continued to experience the serious effects of animal tranquilizers, like medetomidine in our local supply. To support service providers and community members, the Ontario Harm Reduction Distribution Program has developed a comprehensive resource that outlines the impacts of medetomidine within the Ontario context.

When we talk about the drug toxicity crisis, let’s not lose sight of what truly matters. This isn’t just about statistics or substances, it’s about people. People who have been deeply affected, who deserve our compassion and care. Behind every life lost or changed are families, friends, and communities who are grieving. This crisis touches all of us, and it calls for empathy, understanding, and action.

For updated data on this crisis please visit:  smdhu.org/healthstats/drug related harms

Priorities of SMDS continue to focus on:

• Integration of the expertise of people with lived/living experience of substance use through the creation of a People Who Use Drugs/Peer Advisory Group.
• Exploring the expansion of local Opioid Agonist Therapy prescribing in the region, including injectable options.
• Increasing accessibility to bereavement supports for the community of people who use drugs, their family and friends as well as those service providers who provide their care.
• Raising awareness about a comprehensive approach to substance use including the impact of stigma and the role of harm reduction.