The Big Story How is Canada solving its opioid crisis 10 years later?
Jan 14, 2026
Dimitra Panagiotoglou, a Canada Research Chair and associate professor at McGill University, shares her insights on Canada's ongoing opioid crisis. She discusses her research on the impact of supervised consumption sites, noting no consistent crime increase overall, despite rising incidents in certain areas. Dimitra emphasizes the importance of addressing stigma and initiating honest conversations about addiction, especially with youth. She advocates for a focus on harm reduction and integrating services to improve outcomes in communities affected by opioid use.
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No Single Crime Pattern Around Sites
- Dimitra Panagiotoglou found no consistent link between supervised consumption sites and overall crime across Toronto neighborhoods.
- However, break-and-enters rose about 50% on average after sites opened, indicating heterogeneous local effects.
Local Context Determines Outcomes
- The study shows neighborhood responses varied: some saw decreases while others saw increases in crime after sites opened.
- Dimitra argues there is no one-size-fits-all policy and local context determines outcomes.
Learn From Successful Integrations
- Learn from neighborhoods where supervised consumption sites integrated successfully before expanding them.
- Use local lessons to design implementations that minimize harms and respect community safety.