Belleville is often mentioned in discussions concerning mental health and addiction, whether we're in the room or not; it meansa great deal to be invited to the table. The Belleville Chamber of Commerce is rallying within our community to support solutions and it's good to see this happening across the province now. The Ontario Chamber of Commerce can play a vital role by sharing the influence of the business community alongside every other organization advocating for support around health care, mental health and addictions.
CEO, Ontario Chamber of Commerce. High-growth business leader, corporate director, reputation, crisis & leadership communication strategist, public policy advocate
Today, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce released an important policy primer about Ontario's substance use and overdose crisis. This is both a social and economic challenge as local businesses in Ontario communities find themselves near the frontlines of this human tragedy. Read our policy primer here: https://lnkd.in/ee3mXdDz Before releasing the primer, we were pleased to brief Michael Tibollo, Ontario's Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, and to welcome him to our office to meet with a cross-section of Chamber leaders from some of our most affected communities. We appreciated his thoughtfulness, depth of knowledge and desire for collaboration. Our key points: 1. Ontario must review the operating procedures and practices of existing interventions to reduce the unintended harm that can be caused to communities, while ensuring the crisis is managed through a public health lens that prevents mortality, improves recovery outcomes, reduces stigma and respects people's dignity. 2. Since the crisis extends well beyond this province, Ontario is not alone. Through improved data collection that enables direct comparisons of provincial outcomes, Ontario and other jurisdictions must learn from one another. 3. The voices of local businesses have not been sufficiently heard - or engaged in potential solutions. Success will require both a strategy and a culture of collaboration – with industry, government, healthcare and community organizations working together to mitigate the impacts of this crisis on people and communities everywhere. #ontario #addictions #mentalhealth #business Greater Kingston Chamber of Commerce | Barrie Chamber of Commerce | Belleville Chamber of Commerce | Hamilton Chamber of Commerce | St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce | Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce | Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce | Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce | Timmins Chamber | Greater Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber of Commerce | Windsor-Essex Chamber of Commerce | Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce