What’s New?
The response to HIV has always relied on community. The AIDS crisis is a history of tragic losses, hard-won progress, and communities who came together when no one else would. Around the world, small groups of community members stepped up to support the same people their governments chose to ignore. These community groups showed up for dear friends and complete strangers alike. They cooked meals. They raised money. They mourned the dying and celebrated the living. No act was too small. Every kindness was needed. People did what they could, because they cared. Things only changed for the better when ordinary people united with hope, love, and solidarity. The same holds true today. Plenty of progress has been made since those earlier days. HIV still exists, but community support makes a profound difference for the people living longer, healthier lives with HIV.
RHAC recently shared news of the provincial decision to defund London’s supervised consumption program. This service has been an important part of our efforts to prevent HIV transmission and reduce drug-related harms and deaths. This decision does not affect funding for other RHAC programs, such as HIV Support Services. However, it does reflect a devastating trend that UNAIDS calls a “funding crisis.” Around the world, financial cuts and program closures have slowed the global response to HIV/AIDS. With lives on the line, these are setbacks we cannot afford to make.
With provincial funding for supervised consumption set to expire in June, RHAC is navigating the impacts of this decision. In the meantime, RHAC places the highest priority on maintaining the best supports possible for the people we serve. Our valued funders and donors continue to ensure that RHAC’s additional client programs continue to support people living with, at risk for, and affected by HIV and hepatitis C. Fundraised dollars, from events like A Taste for Life, are critical to supporting these additional programs.
This time of year is when RHAC typically invites community to celebrate A Taste for Life. On April 15, our annual fundraiser returns to local restaurants, where 25% of proceeds will support client programs and services. In light of recent events, it can be hard to imagine any kind of celebration. Then again, this is precisely when we need our community the most. History teaches us that these are the moments when we can come together for the better, and for each other. This year, we hope that A Taste for Life continues to be a meaningful way to make a positive impact, even in the most difficult times. The funding crisis shows how fragile the fight against AIDS and HIV stigma can be. But the support of our community proves how strong we are.
A Taste for Life is when caring community members make all the difference, and I hope you can make it on April 15. Thank you to our friends, champions, and supporters for being a constant source of support. I also want to acknowledge the generosity of A Taste for Life’s 2026 Presenting Sponsor TD Bank Group and Supporting Sponsor Kim Mullan, Broker Sutton Group Select Realty Inc., Brokerage. I am touched by the new and returning restaurants who are opening their doors to our cause. Most importantly, thank you to the people we serve for entrusting us with your care and support.”
Martin McIntosh
Executive Director, Regional HIV/AIDS Connection (RHAC)
Late Friday afternoon, the Ontario Ministry of Health notified Regional HIV/AIDS Connection (RHAC) that it will terminate provincial funding for the Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS) site located at 446 York Street in London, operated by RHAC. The Ministry has indicated the funding agreement will end on June 13, 2026.
London’s CTS program has been in operation since 2019 and providing supervised consumption services, overdose response, and connections to health and social supports for people who use drugs in London.
This is deeply concerning news for our community and for the people who rely on these services. Carepoint exists because our community has been facing an unprecedented overdose crisis, and the site has played an important role in preventing deaths and connecting people to care.
RHAC is currently reviewing the Ministry’s notice and working to understand the full implications of the decision. Over the coming days, the organization will begin discussions with staff, partners, and public health leaders regarding next steps and continuity of care for individuals who rely on the service.
Evidence from across Canada and internationally has consistently shown that supervised consumption services reduce overdose deaths and the transmission of HIV and hepatitis C, while connecting people to treatment and health services. In London:
- There were zero new HIV infections related to drug use in 2025.
- Carepoint recorded more than 15,000 visits in 2025.
- Staff responded to and reversed 218 overdoses.
These services exist because they save lives. Our focus now is ensuring the people who rely on Carepoint continue to receive support and care during this transition.
RHAC will provide further updates as more information becomes available.
Warning: Yellow Fentanyl
Multiple confirmed overdose reports have been identified in the community. These overdoses are reported to be linked to yellow-coloured fentanyl.
Signs of an overdose can include:
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Person can't be woken up
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Breathing is slow or has stopped
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Snoring or gurgling sounds
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Fingernails and lips turning blue or purple
In the community, a person can quickly become unresponsive after use and multiple doses of naloxone may be required. It is important to call 911.
Harm reduction recommendations when using substances:
- Try not to use alone. If you use alone, tell someone where you are. Ask them to check on you. The National Overdose Response Service (NORS) is available as a confidential overdose prevention hotline providing compassionate, nonjudgmental support for people who use drugs alone: 1.888.688.6677.
- Use in small doses: Start low, go slow.
- Avoid mixing substances, if possible.
- Encourage use of Carepoint (Mon-Sun: 9 AM-9 PM).
- Have naloxone ready and know how to respond to an overdose. Learn more at: Ontario.ca/Naloxone.
For more information, please contact Interm Director of Harm Reduction Services Lily Bialis at lbialas@hivaidsconnection.ca or 226.377.8721.
Posted March 11, 2026. Please remove this notice by March 21, 2026 as the unregulated drug supply changes constantly.
Read the full advisory here.
This year, RHAC's Annual General Report (AGR) takes a look back at our 2024-25 Fiscal Year, celebrating the theme of “Safer Together Since 1985."
For this year’s AGR, the safety pin made perfect sense as a symbol of how coming together can keep us safer. Since 1991, safety pins have been used to put countless ribbons together for AIDS awareness. Every World AIDS Day, a safety pin secures those ribbons over the hearts of individuals showing their support for people living with HIV/AIDS. Today, safety pins are still keeping things together. A lot has changed over the years, but it turns out that safety never goes out of style. Since 1985, Regional HIV/AIDS Connection (RHAC) has been providing safer spaces and supportive programs to people affected by HIV/AIDS. Our lasting legacy as an organization is owed to the community members who have equally supported us. Communities continue to count on RHAC, because their longstanding trust and support make it possible.
At our Annual Meeting, physical copies were safety-pinned with red ribbons that attendees could wear to honour people living with HIV.
A Message from RHAC's Executive Director
This year, Regional HIV/AIDS Connection (RHAC) celebrates 40 years of serving our community. In 1985, a small group of activists came together as the “AIDS Committee of London.” Their courage and compassion grew RHAC into an organization that, today,serves six counties and strengthens local responses to HIV, hepatitis C, and some of the most complex health issues in our community.
It's been my pleasure to serve RHAC’s mission for more than a decade. During that time, our agency has evolved and expanded to ensure our response to the HIV epidemic is comprehensive, high-quality, and culturally relevant. While moving our mission forward, we also honour our achievements and progress, the hardships and human losses, and every person who has contributed to our history and future.
The celebration of our 40th anniversary comes at a turbulent time. Around the world, funding cuts and program closures threaten the global response to HIV. But even in the face of these challenges, we remain confident in our ability to meet community needs because of you: Our donors, friends, partners, and volunteers. Your support not only makes our programs and services possible—it makes our community a safer and more welcoming place for the people we serve.
Martin McIntosh
Executive Director, Regional HIV/AIDS Connection
In honour of Women’s History Month, RHAC celebrates the incredible contributions women have made to our history, and our future. Since the earliest days of the AIDS crisis, women have been at the centre of community responses to HIV/AIDS. Today, women continue to make HIV history as activists, organizers, scientists, health professionals, and more. This month is an opportunity to remember that women make history every day as positive changeleaders in their communities. Happy Women’s History Month!
On March 14, join us at Central London Public Library (251 Dundas Street) from 1-4 PM for a free International Women's Day event for African, Caribbean and Black community members. Please email kabdul@hivaidsconnection.ca or fumaro@hivaidsconnection.ca to RSVP.
Regional HIV/AIDS Connection (RHAC) is grateful to Westminster College Foundation (WCF) for supporting the Rainbow Youth Space project. This collaborative of programs, including Open Closet and Rainbow Heroes, promotes important opportunities for connection and engagement among 2SLGBTQIA+ youth in London-Middlesex. During its period as a WCF grant recipient, Open Closet saw the number of youth participants double.
"It really feels like a community," said one youth participant. Participants also expressed feeling "safe and heard," with one young participant describing the program "as my home when my house doesn't feel like a home."
With the support of generous grantors, such as WCF, projects like Rainbow Youth Space have been able to continue creating spaces where queer and trans youth feel a sense of belonging and connection in our local community.
Learn more about Open Closet: RHAC's award-winning social support group for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth
To our Community Partners, Careholders, and Members of the Public,
The Ontario government recently announced the planned closure of several supervised Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS). This decision includes new safety mandates for remaining sites and plans to introduce 19 new Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hubs. The announcement also proposes legislation that would prohibit future CTS sites from opening in Ontario communities.1 Regional HIV/AIDS Connection (RHAC) can confirm that London’s CTS site, Carepoint, continues to operate and is not included among the 10 sites currently scheduled for closure by the province.
In light of these developments, RHAC’s Board of Directors reaffirms our unwavering commitment to supporting the health, safety, and wellbeing of the community members our harm reduction programs serve. While Carepoint is fortunate to continue operating, the proposed closures and prohibition of other CTS sites raises significant public health and safety concerns for affected communities. We stand in solidarity with the vulnerable community members and frontline workers affected by these proposals. Now is the time to come together to ensure that harm reduction remains a cornerstone within a comprehensive substance use strategy for our community.
RHAC stands firm in our support of harm reduction. Alongside prevention, treatment, and enforcement,2 it remains crucial to a comprehensive response to the risks associated with substance use. The evidence is clear: CTS sites can reduce the risks of overdose and disease transmission (including HIV/HCV) while providing individuals access to other supports as pathways towards treatment, housing, and healthcare.3 Since 2018, Carepoint has reversed over 1,023 opioid poisonings. These life-saving interventions reduce the strain on emergency services and provide an immediate response to those most at-risk of an overdose or drug-related death. While contributing to the overall health and safety of our community, our services are also meeting complex needs and making important connections. In 2023, we facilitated: 1,287 referrals to addiction and treatment services; 1,623 primary healthcare referrals; and 6,048 referrals to other social services. Harm reduction is central to Carepoint’s ability to safeguard public health, reduce the risks associated with substance use, and connect vulnerable community members to the care they deserve.
Carepoint remains dedicated to working transparently with our local partners, law enforcement, and the broader community to ensure that our services remain safe, accessible, and responsive to concerns. RHAC will continue to actively engage with our neighbors, clients, and partners to address concerns, promote community safety, and support those impacted by substance use, addiction, and the toxic drug supply. We welcome every opportunity to strengthen our programming as a trusted and valuable community service, including the measures introduced by the recent provincial announcement to enhance safety and security for everyone.
Addressing the complexities of homelessness and addiction requires more supports, not less. Our communities do not have to choose between harm reduction or treatment and recovery. These kinds of care can work together to improve health outcomes. We welcome the provincial government’s investment in addiction and treatment options. We also recognize that strategies failing to offer harm reduction services, such as HART Hubs, cannot replace the care provided by supervised consumption and treatment sites. Harm reduction services are a critical part of a comprehensive response to the crisis that continues to take the lives of vulnerable community members every day.
Together, we can work towards a safer, healthier, and more compassionate future. Thank you for your continued trust and partnership in this critical work.
To read this open letter in full, and learn more about RHAC’s position statement on harm reduction and Supervised Consumption Services (SCS), please visit: hivaidsconnection.ca/SCSOpenLetter
ENDNOTES:
- Ministry of Health. Ontario protecting communities and supporting addiction recovery with new treatment hubs, August 20, 2024. https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1004955/ontario-protecting-communities-and-supporting-addiction-recovery-with-new-treatment-hubs
- Health Canada. Pillars of the Canadian drugs and substances strategy, August 13, 2018. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/healthy-living/pillars-canadian-drugs-substances-strategy.html
- Health Canada. Supervised consumption explained: Types of sites and services, February 9, 2024. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/substance-use/supervised-consumption-sites/explained.html
Regional HIV/AIDS Connection (RHAC) is deeply saddened to confirm the loss of a community member following an on-site medical emergency at Carepoint Consumption and Treatment Service (CTS).
On October 1, Carepoint responded to an individual in medical distress. Staff delivered an immediate crisis response, which included contacting emergency medical services. Emergency responders provided further aid on-site and transported the individual to hospital. We were informed that the individual was later pronounced deceased. Out of respect for their privacy, we will not release any further information about this individual.
During this difficult time, our organization is joined together to mourn this member of our community. Our heartfelt condolences are with their family, friends, and loved ones.
We are deeply grateful for the frontline staff and emergency responders who were present on-site to deliver immediate medical support. Our thoughts are with the countless community members who share in our grief and care deeply for the people we serve.
Supervised consumption services, such as Carepoint, are here in our communities to reduce the risks of substance use and connect individuals to treatment, healthcare, and social supports. We are committed to reviewing and strengthening our services on an ongoing basis to ensure that Carepoint upholds the highest standards of care.
We maintain full transparency in working closely with the London Police Service (LPS) as part of their standard investigative process, providing all necessary information to support their ongoing efforts in collaboration with the Coroner's Office. We will continue to share updates with community in the coming days.
Every May, RHAC celebrates some of the staff roles that move our mission forward every day. In honour of several Staff Appreciation marking our calendars this month, thank you to the Caregivers, Nurses, Harm Reduction staff, Personal Support Workers (PSWs), Paramedics, and Human Resources professionals who have made positive impacts in our organization and the lives of community members we proudly serve.
