Author: Samira Prasad

From CBC Ontario Today

Nurses are leaving their jobs. Patients are without family doctors. Dr. Nav Persaud, Canada Research Chair in Health Justice, breaks down for us what the political parties are promising.

Listen here.

From the Toronto Star article

PARIS – Paolo Dinola doesn’t really care who wins the provincial election so long as the next government tries to save others from the fate of his son, who became another statistic last year in Ontario’s surging opioid crisis.

Aaron Dinola died on Nov. 6, 2021, after a fentanyl overdose. He was 32 years old and a father of three.

“He was my beautiful boy, he always had a good heart, but got addicted to painkillers after a car accident,” Paolo Dinola said in an interview. “Three years later he’s dead from fentanyl – the system failed him.”

Opioid deaths and hospitalizations surged significantly across the province after the pandemic hit in early 2020.

The Office of the Chief Coroner shared data on Thursday that showed 2,819 people died from opioid toxicity in 2021. That’s up from 2,460 opioid deaths the year before – a figure that itself was up 58 per cent from fatalities recorded in 2019.

Both the NDP and the Liberals pledged to help tackle the opioid problem on Thursday while Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford said a few days earlier that he’d help anyone with an addiction problem.

Dinola was at a cafe in Paris, Ont., where NDP Leader Andrea Horwath made a campaign stop and pledged to reform the mental health system.

Tara Gomes, an epidemiologist at Unity Health, said there’s no urgency from either the province or the federal government.

Gomes said both levels of government need to relax rules on proven opioid treatments like suboxone and methadone, vast expansion of harm reduction, safe spaces to use drugs and decriminalize drugs.

“Even as we’ve seen these waves come and go with the pandemic, opioid-related deaths are just climbing year over year,” Gomes said.

“And this isn’t something that seems to be resolving any time soon.”

May 16, 2022

We are community advocates and peer researchers with lived experience of low income Ontario Works (OW) and Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) who live and work in Toronto. We work with scientists and staff at MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions at St. Michael’s Hospital to align our community priorities with health equity research in partnership with other agencies across Toronto. As MAP Community Expert Group members, we are calling upon all registered political parties, leaders, and MPP candidates in Ontario to take action on the challenges that OW and ODSP recipients experience. We face low financial assistance rates and income claw-backs that hit hard, especially for single adults with lived experience of mental health issues and poverty.

We are united in our disappointment with the current amounts we are forced to live on and the punitive claw-backs of other forms of income that are part of the design of Ontario social assistance programs. Health care staff, clinicians, scientists at MAP and advocates across Toronto are co-signatories of this letter to indicate their agreement and solidarity.  

“A modernized social assistance system must recognize that not all citizens are able to remain attached to the labor market and when they are unable to participate in labor market activities, the support programs that they are forced to rely on must reflect the actual costs that the market commands to ensure that recipients are able to afford the rent, other necessities of life and to put food on the table to improve their social determinants of health.” – ODSP recipient

Ontario social assistance rates are insufficient to cover basic needs 

There are 863,000 people in Ontario who rely on social assistance programs, and we acknowledge Ontario’s government’s responsibility to provide financial assistance to meet basic living expenses, health and employment services to these Ontarians. However, single adults only receive up to $733 per month under OW and up to $1,169 per month on ODSP for basic needs and shelter. These amounts are simply not enough. The vast majority of provinces and territories do not index social assistance rates to the cost of living. This contributes to many people’s inability to meet their basic needs or to exit the program with sufficient resources. In Ontario, rates have not increased since 2018 and have not kept up with inflation of 10% –  In addition, single individuals on OW and ODSP experience a 63 percent and 40 percent poverty gap respectively when their rates are compared with official poverty standards.

The amount of money provided to cover basic needs such as food and shelter is not reflective of the increasing cost of living in Ontario, particularly in Toronto. OW allocates $390 per month to a single adult for shelter, thus making it impossible to secure housing. Current market rents for a shared room in Toronto now exceed $500 per month everywhere in the City, effectively excluding recipients from securing adequate accommodation. Moreover, it leaves them either in precariously housed situations or at-risk of homelessness.

In addition, well over half (59%) of people on social assistance in Ontario experience food insecurity and are more likely to rely on food banks, as the amounts they receive are not sufficient to cover food or transportation.

We find shameful the provincial Government’s failure to recognize that Ontario’s social assistance programs do not meet the needs of its recipients. This situation points to a lack of inclusion of community voices in policy decision making. We strongly recommend that the new provincial government align recipients’ incomes with a basic living standard along with annual inflationary increases.

“The OW shelter money is not high enough to rent a room. I have to use 2/3 of my basic money to cover the rent which leave me nothing much for food, transportation and other expenses. Even so, the room is shabby resulting in bad living conditions. The shelter allowance forces people into homelessness and puts them at a greater risk for poor health.” – OW recipient

We applaud the efforts of various community organizations and advocates who have petitioned to index the programs’ rates with the current inflation rate. Others have called on the provincial government increase the rates to $2,000 per month. This amount aligns with the Federal Government’s COVID-19 Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) program which was deemed a basic income for individuals affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Complicated and punitive benefit claw-backs do not help recipients to stabilize their life

The punitive benefit claw-backs on income in OW and ODSP, combined with limited availability of supportive services and systemic barriers, prevent many people from securing stable employment. Precarious employment such as part-time jobs or short-term contracts have become more common in Ontario’s labour market, and low-income earners are overrepresented in these jobs. Social assistance recipients who take these jobs to supplement their income are constantly worried about having to pay back their benefits if their income exceeds a certain amount. Moreover, individuals with a disability have a harder time finding employment that offers adequate accommodations, a living wage, and stable benefits.

“ODSP does not encourage us to improve our lives, they restrict us from moving forward. Forcing us to be stagnant. Additionally, Government strategies to modernization Ontario Social Assistance programs have never provided us with any significant advantages but further complicate the process.” – ODSP recipient

“The claw-back of 50 percent for each additional dollar earned above $200 is too punitive to incentivize ODSP recipients to move into the labour market, as it fails to move them out of deep poverty. This threshold should be increased to $800 to reflect increasing costs of living.” – ODSP recipient

Income claw-backs and exemption rate policies are often unclear to recipients and create a dynamic that discourages people from seeking employment. Additionally, in some instances it leaves recipients worse off than if they did not pursue any type of employment.

It is imperative that punitive income claw-backs are lessened and the exemptions on earned income are increased. Facilitating more pathways for recipients to earn more income will not only help people work towards their financial goals, but will ultimately reduce their dependence on social assistance programs.

“Anyone earning more than $300.00 per month ends up losing earned income and their Work Incentive benefit.  For instance, if person earned $300 plus the work incentive they should have collected $400.00 but with ODSP’s calculation they only get $350. As people earn more, they lose more of their earned money. Additionally, Rent/Food/Incidentals have not been adequately covered to survive in the City” – ODSP recipient  

These factors create barriers for people and negatively impact their quality of life. Social assistance recipients have limited access to preventative healthcare services not covered through the provincial or municipal government programs. While a few basic services such as dental care are covered for ODSP recipients, OW recipients have very little coverage, and therefore very little access to basic services. It has been shown that recipients of social assistance programs have worse health outcomes than non-recipients. Lack of priority for  Ontarians living in poverty is costly for our healthcare system, and will continue to escalate in costs as people experience more poverty-related negative health outcomes. As we approach Ontario’s provincial election in June, we strongly urge political parties to develop, publicize, and commit to more responsive and equity-based social assistance programs that are tailored to the real needs of recipients.

Thank you for your attention to these vital issues that greatly affect the health and wellbeing of low- income people in Ontario. We hope our political leaders support our recommendations and commit to providing financial support for all Ontarians to have good health and thrive in our communities.

Sincerely,

MAP Community Expert Group members

Bee Lee Soh 

Rene Adams 

Daniela Mergarten 

Sa’ad Talia 

Veronica Snooks 

Opal Sparks 

Supported by:

Stephen Hwang Physician in General Internal Medicine and Research Scientist, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions

Shazeen Suleman Investigator, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions

Galo F. Ginocchio Research Coordinator, Unity Health Toronto – St. Michael’s Hospital

Sloane Freeman Pediatrician, St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto

Vikram Jayanth Ramalingam Research Assistant, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, St. Michaels Hospital

Anne-Marie Tynan Research Program Manager, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions

Sean B. Rourke, PhD, FCAHS Scientist, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, St. Michael’s Hospital

Flora Matheson Scientist, Unity Health Toronto

John Ecker Research Manager, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Unity Health Toronto

Uzma Ahmed Research Coordinator, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions

Areesha Sabir Research Coordinator, St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto

Alyssa Ranieri Homeless Outreach Counselor, Unity Health Toronto

Sharmistha Mishra Associate Professor & Infectious Disease Specialist, University of Toronto & Unity Health Toronto

Sherry Hao Research Assistant ll, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions

Suzanne Zerger Research Program Manager, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Unity Health

Madison Ford Research Coordinator, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions

Ray Baran Research Coordinator, REACH Nexus

Stephanie Arlt Research Coordinator, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions

Antigone Darsini CRC II, St. Michael’s Hospital

Dr. Naomi Thulien Scientist, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, St. Michael’s Hospital Unity Health Toronto

Sam Filipenko Business Manager, Well Living House

Kate Francombe Pridham Research Program Manager – Homelessness, Housing, and Health, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions

Jillian Macklin MD/PhD Student, University of Toronto

James R Dunn Professor / Scientist, McMaster University / St. Michael’s Hospital

Dana Shearer Knowledge Translation Broker, Ontario Drug Policy Research Network

Darrell Tan Clinician-Scientist, St Michael’s Hospital

charles ozzoude Health Researcher , St. Michael’s Hospital

layla jabbour Research Program Manager, Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation

Michelle Catchpole Business Analyst, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions

Amy Craig-Neil Research Coordinator, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Unity Health Toronto

Heather McLean Research Assistant II, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation

Ahmed Bayoumi Clinician Scientist, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto

Jesse Isadora Reisman Jenkinson Postdoctoral Fellow, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Unity Health Toronto

Nazlee Maghsoudi Manager, Policy Impact Unit, Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation

Kimberly Devotta Research Manager, Unity Health Toronto

Indhu Rammohan Graduate student, Centre for Drug Policy Evaluation

Jeanette Bowles  Postdoctoral Fellow, Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation: St. Michael’s Hosptial

Lisa Schlosser Peer Support Specialist, SMH

Janet Brown  Director Strategic Projects, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions

Tara Kiran Family Physician and Associate Professor,  University of Toronto

Anne Rucchetto Research staff, Unity Health Toronto

Evie Gogosis Research Manager, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions

Paige Homme  Medical Student, Year 3, University of Toronto

Pearl Buhariwala Research Manager, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions

Melissa Perri Research Assistant, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions

Parvin Merchant Director – Tenant and Member Service, Houselink and Mainstay Community Housing

Vanesa Berenstein Research Coordinator, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions

Rachel Ma Research Volunteer, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions

Paneet Gill Practicum Student, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions St Micheal’s Hospital

Dan Werb Director, Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation

Elham Rasoulian Research Coordinator I, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions

Lisa Baker Mental Health Outreach Worker, Unity Health

Joy Connelly Housing consultant and advocate, Connelly Consulting Services

Christina Muratore Care and Transitions Facilitator, St. Michael’s Hospital

Shelagh Pizey-Allen Executive Director, TTCriders

Rosalie Donaldson-Kronenbuerger social worker, Unity Health Toronto

Michael Creek Director Strategic Initiatives, Working for Change

Ali Minaei ODSP Recipient, N/A

Samar Abdulle Research Coordinator, Unity Health Toronto

Aiko Ito Client Intervention Worker MSW RSW, Dixon Hall Neighbourhood Services

Victor Willis Executive Director, PARC (The Parkdale Activity – Recreation Centre Toronto)

Trevor Manson Secretary Co-chair, ODSP Action Coalition

Ryan Peck Executive Director, HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario (HALCO)

Steve Durant Research Coordinator, The Upstream Lab, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, Unity Health Toronto

Zahra Tahlil Outreach-Emergency Department, St.Michael’s Hospital

Elizabeth Mulholland CEO, Prosper Canada

Devorah Kobluk Senior Policy Analyst, Income Security Advocacy Centre (ISAC)

Fiona Penny Social Worker, St Michael’s Hospital

Indira Fernando research manager, St. Michael’s hospital

Chi-Hang Jonathan Sinn MPH Practicum Student, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions (St. Michael’s Hospital)

Emily Holton Communications & Marketing Manager, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions

Feroza Mohammed Community Worker; Member, Local Champions’ Network, Autonomous Residents’ Leadership Network

Zoe Greenwald PhD Candidate in Epidemiology, University of Toronto

Alexandra Carasco Research Coordinator, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions

Samantha Myers Research Assistant II, St. Michael’s Hospital

Amy Katz, Knowledge Translation Specialist, MAP, St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto

John Stapleton, Principal, Open Policy

Heather McGregor, CEO, YWCA Toronto

Melissa Goldstein, No affiliation

Charles Ritchie, No affiliation

Melody Li, Executive Director, Homeless Connect Toronto

Gary Bloch Family Physician, Unity Health Toronto

Adam cohoon Founder, Moreaccessible

Terry Pariseau, Coordinated Access Engagement Coordinator, Toronto Alliance to End Homelessness

Diana Chan McNally, Training and Engagement Coordinator,Toronto Drop-in Network

Miranda Schreiber, U of T

Allison Meserve, Senior Manager , Prosper Canada

Benjamin Wong, Epidemiologist

Rev. Steve Hoffard, Pastor, Redeemer Lutheran – Toronto

Steve Joseph, Torresan Treasurer, Dream Team

Shalini Konanur, Executive Director / Lawyer, South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario

Edward Russell, Volunteer Gardener/Yardman, Houselink/Mainstay

Ayan Yusuf, Research Coordinator, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions

David Meyers, Senior Manager, Centre for Independent Living in Toronto

Shurrytwo Pan, Social Assistance, No affiliation

Nathalie Noël

Oksana Grebnytska, Co-Founder, Social Assistance Coalition of Scarborough (SACS)

Alies Maybee, Citizen n/a

Geena Ross, Advocate, No Affiliation

Teresa Northcote, ODSP Recipient

Anne Gloger, Principal, Openly Connected

Helen P Watt, Senior Program Officer, Prosper Canada

David Meyers, Coalition Partner representative, GTA Disability Coalition

akiesha phillips, SACS

Elizabeth Tremblay, Founder Mentor/Mentee Canada and Peer House Toronto

Amie Tsang, Health Equity Facilitator, CMHA Toronto

Heath Soave, Anti-Poverty, Paralegal

Angie Peters, President & CEO, Yonge Street Mission

Carrie Wong, Manager, Learning and Training Prosper Canada

Michael Anhorn, CEO Canadian Mental Health Association Toronto Branch

Sivabalan Arulnanthysivam, injured worker, Voice of Scarborough member.

Melissa Blacktopp, no affiliation

Savhanna J Wilson, Associate Director, Toronto Alliance to End Homelessness

Marlene Rathbone, No affiliation

Kathlyn Babaran-Henfrey, Research Coordinator, Unity Health Toronto

From Unity Health Toronto

Adolescents experiencing homelessness in the United States have significantly worse mental health and substance use outcomes than their housed counterparts, according to new research that evaluated mental health and substance use among homeless and housed high school students surveyed voluntarily and anonymously in 2019.

The research, published in JAMA and co-led by researchers from MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions at St. Michael’s Hospital, also found that teens of colour and teens who identify as LGBTQIA+ bear the disproportionate burden of homelessness in the United States.

More than one in 20 U.S. high school students experienced homelessness in 2016 and 2017, according to a 2018 report from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. While the circumstances surrounding these adolescents’ homelessness are undoubtedly stressful and traumatic, few reliable and large-scale assessments of the psychiatric burden among homeless teens are available.

“Our study is a call-to-action for schools, health systems, and policymakers to address the significant burden of mental health and substance use challenges faced by homeless adolescents,” said Michael Liu, MPhil, first author of the study, a research coordinator at St. Michael’s MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions and a medical student at Harvard Medical School. “The burden of homelessness falls disproportionately on Black, Hispanic, and LGBTQIA+ individuals, which reflects enduring structural injustices such as racism, homophobia, and transphobia in the US. We need to do a better job of identifying these students and connecting them to evidence-based interventions such as stable housing and mental health support.”

From the TVO Today article

Opioids have killed almost 10,000 people in Ontario over the past five years, according to data from Ontario’s Office of the Chief Coroner. Nearly 3,000 people died of confirmed or probable opioid-related causes in 2021 alone — a figure that equates to roughly eight people per day — the highest rate of fatal opioid overdoses ever recorded in the province. 

Opioid-related deaths have been on the rise in Ontario for more than a decade, but there has been a “significant rise” in unintentional opioid-related deaths during the pandemic, according to a January report from Public Health Ontario. The report says this is due in part to increased social isolation and reduced access to health-care services and community-based programs for people who use drugs.

Experts say more can be done to reduce fatalities and manage the province’s ongoing opioid crisis.

The issue

“We can’t forget that behind these numbers are the lives of people that have been lost, often very early in life, from an avoidable cause,” says Tara Gomes, a researcher with Unity Health Toronto. 

The PHO report compares two separate time periods: the pre-pandemic period from March 17, 2019, through to December 31, 2019, in which 1,017 people in Ontario died from opioid-related causes; and the pandemic period, from March 17, 2020, to December 31, 2020, in which that number jumped to 1,808. 

From CBC Metro Morning

Listen to the interview here.

Nemoy Lewis is an assistant professor in the School of Urban and Regional Planning at Ryerson University. Dr. Nav Persaud is an associate professor of Department of Family and Community Medicine. He’s also a family doctor and Canada Research Chait in Health Justice at St. Michael’s Hospital. Both joined Metro Morning to share their thoughts on the provincial NDP’s election platform.

Lire cet article en français

Fundraising partnership sets goal to raise $2 million in 2022 to help build vibrant, healthy communities

Richmond Hill, ON, April 28, 2022 – With a mission to help make the future fair for everyone, Staples Canada and MAP, a world-leading research centre, have launched the second year of the Even the Odds fundraising partnership with a goal to raise $2 million in 2022.

Even the Odds launched last year to help raise awareness of inequity in Canada and build vibrant, healthy communities. The campaign raised $1.23 million during its inaugural year, thanks to the support of Staples Canada’s customers, associates and vendor-partners, as well as a corporate match donation.

“We are proud of what we have been able to accomplish in the first year of this partnership,” said David Boone, CEO of Staples Canada. “The support from our associates and customers has been outstanding, and it’s rewarding for our team to already see new research programs and solutions come to life that advance the important work that MAP is doing to build vibrant, healthy communities.”

Even the Odds has already begun making an impact by funding research and solutions throughout Canada, including three MAP projects: a leadership program for young people who are exiting homelessness; a health promotion school program for kids in disadvantaged neighbourhoods; and a national initiative to draw the blueprint for a more equitable primary care system in Canada.

Recently through Even the Odds, Staples Canada and MAP also announced support for a new Université de Montréal and the Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique (CReSP) project focused on an innovative health clinic, called Clinique Mauve, that’s specifically designed to meet the needs of racialized and migrant communities who identify as LGBTQI+. The project will evaluate the program and explore the best ways to tailor the clinic’s services to serve Two-Spirit and/or trans Indigenous people, especially youth.

“Staples associates and customers’ commitment to Even the Odds in Canada has brought these exciting projects to life,” said Dr. Stephen Hwang, Director, MAP. “We are so grateful to be doing this outstanding work in partnership with Staples.”

Staples Canada will launch its first in-store fundraising effort of 2022 from May 2 to 22, 2022. Customers make a donation to Even the Odds at any one of Staples Canada’s 300+ stores or online at staples.ca/eventheodds. For every dollar raised during the campaign, Staples Canada will match with a corporate donation, up to $500,000.

More on inequity in Canada

In Canada, income, education, and experiences of discrimination strongly affect the odds of staying healthy. That’s because social and economic status determine how easy it is to access the resources that are essential for good health, such as affordable housing, nutritious food, and health care. As a result, over 1.2 million children in Canada live in households that struggle to afford fresh fruit and vegetables. At least one million people sacrifice basic essentials to pay for medical prescriptions, and 235,000 are homeless every year. The pandemic has exposed the magnitude of social, health and economic inequity in Canada, with racialized and low-income populations carrying a disproportionate burden of the health and economic impacts.

Internationally recognized for ground-breaking science and innovation, MAP scientists work in partnership with communities and government leaders to address these issues and more through the development of equity-focused program and policy solutions.

To learn more or make a donation to Even the Odds, visit staples.ca/eventheodds.

About MAP

MAP is a world-leading research centre dedicated to creating a healthier future for all. Through big-picture research and street-level solutions, MAP scientists tackle complex community health issues—many at the intersection of health and equity. MAP’s 32 scientists and over 120 staff and students work in partnership with communities, researchers, and government leaders across Canada to address issues such as homelessness, unequal access to health care and medicine, and the lifelong effects of childhood poverty. MAP is part of the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto. For more information, visit maphealth.ca.

About Staples Canada

Staples Canada is The Working and Learning Company. With a focus on community, inspiration and services, the privately-owned company is committed to being a dynamic, inspiring partner to customers who visit its over 300 locations and staples.ca. The company has two brands that support business customers, Staples Preferred for small businesses and Staples Professional for medium to large-sized enterprises, as well as five co-working facilities in Toronto, Kelowna, Oakville and Ottawa under the banner Staples Studio. Staples Canada is a proud partner of MAP through its Even the Odds campaign, which aims to tackle inequities in communities across Canada and helps make a future that’s fair for everyone. Visit staples.ca for more information or get social with @StaplesCanada on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Media Information:

Kathleen Stelmach, Staples Canada, 905-737-1147 Ext. 578, kathleen.stelmach@staples.ca

Noah Gomberg, Golin, 437-246-3975, ngomberg@golin.com

Bureau en Gros et le Centre MAP, un centre de recherche de classe mondiale, lancent la deuxième année du partenariat « À chance égale » pour lutter contre les inégalités dans les communautés partout au Canada

Le partenariat pour la collecte de fonds se fixe pour objectif de récolter 2 millions de dollars en 2022 pour contribuer à bâtir des communautés dynamiques et saines

Richmond Hill, ON, le 28 avril 2022 — Avec pour mission de contribuer à rendre l’avenir équitable pour tout le monde, Bureau en Gros et le Centre MAP, un centre de recherche de classe mondiale, ont lancé la deuxième année du partenariat de collecte de fonds À chance égale, avec pour objectif de recueillir 2 millions de dollars en 2022.

À chance égale est une initiative lancée l’an dernier visant à sensibiliser le public sur les inégalités au Canada et à bâtir des communautés dynamiques et saines. La campagne a permis de recueillir 1,23 million de dollars au cours de son année inaugurale, grâce au soutien des clients, associés et fournisseurs partenaires de Bureau en Gros, ainsi qu’à un don équivalent de la part de l’entreprise.

« Nous sommes fiers de ce que nous avons pu accomplir au cours de la première année de ce partenariat», a déclaré David Boone, PDG de Staples Canada/Bureau en Gros. « Le soutien de nos associés et de nos clients a été exceptionnel, et il est gratifiant pour notre équipe de voir déjà naître de nouveaux programmes de recherche et solutions qui font progresser le travail important que le Centre MAP accomplit pour créer des collectivités plus équitables. »

L’initiative À chance égale a déjà commencé à avoir une incidence en finançant des recherches et solutions partout au Canada, y compris trois projets du Centre MAP : un programme de leadership pour les jeunes qui sortent de l’itinérance, un programme scolaire de promotion de la santé pour les enfants de quartiers défavorisés et une initiative nationale visant à dessiner le plan d’un système de soins primaires plus équitable au Canada.

Grâce à la campagne À chance égale, Bureau en Gros et le Centre MAP ont également annoncé récemment leur soutien à un nouveau projet de l’Université de Montréal et du Centre de recherche en santé Publique (CReSP) portant sur une clinique de santé novatrice, appelée Clinique Mauve, spécialement destinée à répondre aux besoins des communautés racisées et migrantes qui s’identifient comme LGBTQI+. Le projet évaluera le programme et explorera les meilleures façons d’adapter les services de la clinique pour servir les personnes Autochtones bispirituelles et/ou transgenres, en particulier les jeunes.

« L’engagement des associés et des clients de Bureau en Gros envers l’initiative À chance égale au Canada a permis de donner vie à ces projets passionnants », a déclaré le Dr Stephen Hwang, directeur du Centre MAP. « Nous sommes très reconnaissants de faire ce travail remarquable en partenariat avec Bureau en Gros. »

Bureau en Gros lancera sa première collecte de fonds de 2022 en magasin, du 2 au 22 mai. Les clients pourront faire un don au profit de la campagne À chance égale dans les quelque 300 magasins de Staples Canada/Bureau en Gros ou en ligne à bureauengros.com/achanceegale. Pour chaque dollar recueilli pendant la campagne, Bureau en Gros versera un don d’entreprise équivalent, jusqu’à concurrence de 500 000 $.

En savoir plus sur l’inégalité au Canada

Au Canada, le revenu du ménage, le niveau de scolarité et les expériences liées à la discrimination influent fortement sur les chances de rester en bonne santé. Cela tient au fait que le statut social et économique détermine souvent la facilité avec laquelle il est possible d’accéder aux ressources essentielles à une bonne santé, comme un logement abordable, des aliments nutritifs et des soins de santé. Par conséquent, plus de 1,2 million d’enfants au Canada vivent dans des ménages qui ont du mal à se procurer des fruits et légumes frais. Il y a au moins un million de personnes qui sacrifient des produits de première nécessité pour payer des prescriptions médicales, et 235 000 sont des sans-abris chaque année. La pandémie a mis en évidence l’ampleur des inégalités sociales, sanitaires et économiques au Canada, les populations racialisées et à faible revenu subissant une part disproportionnée des répercussions sanitaires et économiques.

Reconnus internationalement pour leurs innovations et leurs travaux scientifiques de pointe, les chercheurs du MAP travaillent en partenariat avec les collectivités et les dirigeants gouvernementaux pour s’attaquer à ces problèmes de société et à bien d’autres grâce à l’élaboration de programmes et de politiques axés sur l’équité.

Pour en savoir plus ou faire un don dans le cadre de la campagne À chance égale, consultez bureauengros.com/achanceegale.

À propos du Centre MAP

Ce centre de recherche de premier plan à l’échelle mondiale se consacre à la création d’un avenir plus sain pour tous. Grâce à des recherches qui donnent une vision d’ensemble et à des solutions concrètes, les scientifiques du Centre MAP s’attaquent à des problèmes de santé communautaire complexes, dont bon nombre se situent au croisement de la santé et des inégalités. Les 32 scientifiques et plus de 120 employés et étudiants du Centre MAP travaillent en partenariat avec des communautés, chercheurs et dirigeants gouvernementaux partout au Canada pour s’attaquer à des problèmes tels que l’itinérance, l’accès inégal aux soins de santé et à la médecine, et les effets à vie de la pauvreté chez les enfants. Le Centre MAP fait partie du Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute de l’hôpital St. Michael’s d’Unity Health Toronto. Pour obtenir plus de renseignements, consultez le site maphealth.ca/fr.

À propos de Staples Canada/Bureau en Gros

Staples Canada/Bureau en Gros est l’Entreprise du travail et de l’apprentissage. En mettant l’accent sur la collectivité, l’inspiration et les services, la société privée est déterminée à jouer le rôle de partenaire dynamique et inspirant pour tous les clients qui visitent ses quelque 300 succursales et le site bureauengros.com. L’entreprise possède deux sous-marques qui soutiennent ses clients commerciaux, Bureau en Gros Privilège pour les petites entreprises et Staples Professionnel pour les moyennes et grandes entreprises, ainsi que cinq studios de travail partagé à Toronto, Kelowna, Oakville et Ottawa sous la bannière Staples Studio. Staples Canada/Bureau en Gros est fière de travailler en partenariat avec le Centre MAP dans le cadre de sa campagne À chance égale, qui vise à s’attaquer aux inégalités dans les collectivités partout au Canada et à créer un avenir équitable pour tous. Visitez bureauengros.com pour en savoir plus ou suivez @BureauenGros sur Facebook, Twitter, Instagram et LinkedIn.

Renseignements pour les médias :

Kathleen Stelmach, Staples Canada/Bureau en Gros, 905-737-1147, poste 578, kathleen.stelmach@staples.ca;

Noah Gomberg, Golin, 437-246-3975, ngomberg@golin.com

From CBC News

Karen McDonald and Dr. Dan Beriault give CBC News a behind-the-scenes look at Toronto’s Drug Checking Service, a free, anonymous service that analyzes samples of unregulated drugs in a bid to reduce harm.

Community health workers involved in this pilot program say finding out what’s in the drug supply is more important than ever. But even though their system just went digital, funding for the project is set to expire later this year.

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From the Desi News article

 A superhero’s cape would not be out of place for a champion of patient safety, social justice and health equity.

As such, Canada Research Chair in Health Justice is a fitting mantle for Dr Nav Persaud, who has made a name for himself for tirelessly advocating for health equity.

A scientist with MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions in the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael’s Hospital, he is a staff physician in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the hospital, and was named one of Canada’s Top 40 under 40 in 2017.

His mandate as Canada Research Chair in Health Justice is to conduct research and do academic work to bring us all closer to fair health outcomes.

“Right now in Canada, there are different outcomes depending on income, whether one is racialized, one’s gender, etc. Despite publicly-funded social supports and access to health supports, disparities exist.

“I am working to narrow the health gap between the highest and lowest wealth brackets, ensuring that everyone can afford the medication they need.”

It all began with his patients who couldn’t afford the meds he was prescribing. They returned to the clinic repeatedly with the same issues and he watched, helpless, as some of them ended up in the hospital with a cardiac arrest or a stroke.

“Everything I had learned at medical school was wasted if I couldn’t help my patients – but the bottom line was that for many of them medications were out of reach.”

He found this unacceptable when relatively inexpensive treatments could prevent it.

Dr Persaud knew he had to try something different.

To this end, he led the first-ever trial providing people with free access to essential medicines. In 2016, he launched the CLEAN Meds (Carefully selected and Easily Accessible at No charge Medications) study to test the effects of providing essential medicines for free to patients who were unable to afford them. Almost 800 people took part in the study through health centres in Toronto and Manitoulin Island area. 

The results from the first 12 months of the study proved beyond a shadow of doubt that access to free medication improves health outcomes. Dramatically. There was a 44 per cent increase in people taking their medications and 160 per cent increase in the likelihood of participants being able to make ends meet.

He also worked with WHO to decide which essential medicines – everything from antibiotics and pain relievers to medications for HIV-AIDS – countries should cover.

Combler les lacunes dans les soins de santé

Tiré de Desi News

La cape d’un superhéros conviendrait parfaitement à un champion de la sécurité des patients, de la justice sociale et de l’équité en matière de santé.

À ce titre, la Chaire de recherche du Canada sur la justice en santé est un choix approprié pour le Dr Nav Persaud, qui se distingue en défendant inlassablement l’équité en matière de santé.

Scientifique au Centre MAP pour des solutions de santé urbaine du Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute de l’hôpital St. Michael, le docteur Persaud est membre du personnel du département de médecine familiale et communautaire de l’hôpital, et il a été nommé parmi les 40 meilleurs médecins de moins de 40 ans du Canada en 2017.

Son mandat en tant que titulaire de la Chaire de recherche du Canada sur la justice en santé est de mener des recherches et d’effectuer des travaux universitaires permettant de parvenir à des résultats équitables en matière de santé.

« À l’heure actuelle, au Canada, les résultats diffèrent en fonction du revenu, de l’appartenance raciale, du sexe, etc. Malgré l’accès aux programmes sociaux et aux services de santé financés par l’État, des inégalités demeurent.

Je m’efforce de réduire l’écart qui existe en matière de santé entre les classes de revenus les plus élevées et les plus basses, en veillant à ce que chacun puisse se procurer les médicaments dont il a besoin. »

Tout a commencé avec des patients qui ne pouvaient pas se payer les médicaments qu’il prescrivait. Ces derniers se présentaient à la clinique à plusieurs reprises pour les mêmes problèmes et il assistait, impuissant, au fait que certains d’entre eux se retrouvaient à l’hôpital à la suite d’un arrêt cardiaque ou d’un AVC.

« Tout ce que j’avais appris à la faculté de médecine était en vain si je ne pouvais pas aider mes patients; mais le cœur du problème était que pour plusieurs d’entre eux, les médicaments étaient inaccessibles. »

From the Toronto Star article

When Derek McGivern’s dad tested positive for COVID-19, he knew the clock was ticking.

Due to multiple medical issues, his 70-something father was at risk, and McGivern knew the antiviral pill Paxlovid — which must be taken within five days of the first symptoms — could help keep him out of the hospital.

“Every hour that goes by, you’re closer to that limit,” said McGivern over the phone from Wallaceburg, Ont., near Chatham. “And that’s extremely frustrating — because no one knew how to get him what he needed.”

With COVID cases soaring in Ontario — reaching an estimated 100,000 new infections a day, according to wastewater readings — Paxlovid is being touted by medical experts as a game changer in the province’s pandemic response, a key tool to help protect those most at risk.

But in recent weeks, physicians and vulnerable patients have been struggling to access the medication and are urging the province to ramp up education and outreach efforts and to make Paxlovid more widely available.

“What strikes me is how many people don’t realize they would qualify for these medications if they had COVID. And, even if they did realize they were eligible, what to do and where to go is not clear … And it varies by region,” said Dr. Tara Kiran, a family physician at Toronto’s St. Michael’s Hospital.

“It is a big problem. We need a public education campaign.”

As of March 31, about 400 courses of Paxlovid had been given out in Ontario, with an additional 755 distributed to hospitals. The province, which had previously stated it had about 40,000 courses from the federal government, would not provide the Star with updated figures Friday.