Waterloo Region has landed a $1.9-million federal grant to expand street-level support for people struggling with addiction while living outside, an effort that brings together five local agencies. The money, announced on June 19, 2026, comes from Health Canada’s Emergency Treatment Fund and will flow through Region of Waterloo Public Health to a program called Check and Connect.
The program centres on harm reduction, overdose prevention, and connecting people to social services. A key piece is a drug-checking machine that allows someone to learn what is in a substance before they use it, a step that can prevent accidental overdoses and save lives. “Waterloo Region continues to lose people from our community to overdoses related to an unpredictable and toxic drug supply on the streets,” said Anne Phillips, senior director at Sanguen Health Centre. “Keeping people informed means keeping people alive.”
The funding will be shared by Sanguen, The Working Centre, Thrive HIV Prevention & Support, Crow Shield Lodge, and the local branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association. Their work ranges from extending hours at St. John’s Kitchen and boosting mental health outreach to offering culturally grounded sharing circles for Indigenous residents. Region of Waterloo Public Health provides strategic, evaluation, and administrative support.
The need is stark. A point-in-time count in October 2024 found 2,371 people homeless across the region, more than double the 1,085 counted in 2021. Chronic homelessness has been growing by about 28 per cent each year since 2020. Waterloo’s project was one of only 30 chosen from nearly 400 applications nationwide, something MP Bardish Chagger called a critical step. “Communities across the country, including Waterloo, continue to face the devastating impacts of substance use and the illegal drug crisis,” she said. “This investment will support the Region of Waterloo Public Health and its partners in delivering crucial mental health, substance use, and social services that connect people to the care and supports they need.”
The grant is for one year, a reality that has partners already thinking about what comes next. “We’re certainly pleased about the additional resources because more support is needed,” said Ruth Cameron, executive director of Thrive HIV Prevention & Support. “But ongoing support is also needed.” The new money adds to the Region’s existing efforts under its Plan to End Chronic Homelessness, which council has backed with $14.8 million in annual spending, alongside $50.7 million for other homelessness initiatives.
