September 24, 2026

The Honourable Sylvia Jones
Minister of Health
Government of Ontario

Dear Minister Jones,

Re: Support for Bill 121, Save a Life Act (Naloxone Kit Registration and Public Access), 2026

On behalf of the Windsor-Essex County Board of Health, I am writing to express support for Bill 121, Save a Life Act (Naloxone Kit Registration and Public Access), 2026, and to urge the Government of Ontario to enact and adequately resource the legislation as a practical measure to reduce preventable overdose deaths.

Ontario continues to experience the devastating impacts of the toxic drug crisis. From April to June 2026, there were 668 suspected drug-related deaths in Ontario. Healthcare costs related to opioids have also increased substantially in recent years, driven in part by toxicity in the unregulated drug supply and the presence of emerging contaminants such as medetomidine and other sedatives that complicate overdose response.

Windsor-Essex County has been especially affected. Opioid-related deaths in our region have exceeded the provincial average in nine of the past ten years, and opioid-related harms continue to place significant pressure on local emergency medical services and hospitals. In the first six months of 2026, Windsor-Essex recorded 418 emergency department visits related to opioid overdoses, compared with 179 during the same period in 2025.

Naloxone is a safe, effective, evidence-based medication that can temporarily reverse an opioid overdose and provide critical time for emergency services to arrive. Existing initiatives, including the Ontario Naloxone Program and the Ontario Naloxone Program for Pharmacies, have helped expand access to free naloxone kits through community organizations and pharmacies. However, public access remains uneven, particularly in settings where overdoses may occur unexpectedly and immediate intervention is essential.

Bill 121 would strengthen Ontario’s overdose response by requiring naloxone kits in designated premises, including premises where automated external defibrillators are installed, and by establishing a registration process for those kits. This approach would better align public access to naloxone with other emergency response tools and improve the likelihood that bystanders can respond quickly during an overdose emergency.

The Board of Health respectfully requests that the Ministry of Health support implementation by expanding and adequately resourcing the Ontario Naloxone Program so that all locally designated premises under the proposed Act are eligible to receive naloxone kits, replacement supplies, and standardized training at no cost through existing public health distribution channels, including the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit. In addition, locally informed placement will be very important, including consideration of high-need public settings such as transit shelters, social housing developments, and other locations identified through local overdose data. The identification of such sites can and should be driven by evidence and data provided through local public health unit surveillance efforts. 

We also encourage the Province to provide sustainable funding, and implementation supports to public health units and community partners responsible for coordinating naloxone distribution, education, training, and ongoing program administration. Locally informed placement will be important, including consideration of high-need public settings such as transit shelters, social housing developments, and other locations identified through local overdose data.

The Windsor-Essex County Board of Health would welcome the opportunity to work with the Ministry, municipalities, and community partners to support effective implementation of Bill 121. Thank you for your attention to this urgent public health issue and for your continued commitment to reducing overdose-related harms across Ontario.

Sincerely,

Joe Bachetti
Chair, Board of Health
Windsor-Essex County Health Unit