Dalla Lana School of Public Health

DLSPH-​led initiative receives $700,000 to strengthen substance use support for Black communities in Canada

July 15/2026

Health Canada-funded project will build capacity among providers nationwide to deliver culturally safe substance use support for Black people in Canada.

By Ishani Nath

Substance use and addiction impacts individuals of all backgrounds, but Black people in Canada struggling with these challenges may not receive the same level of care and support as others. A new project led by experts at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health (DLSPH) received over $700,000 in funding from Health Canada to address this gap.

“Everyone deserves access to substance use care that is culturally relevant, inclusive and prejudice-free. One of the most important pathways to closing gaps in health outcomes due to systemic racism is partnering with the communities and organizations like the Black Health Education Collaborative (BHEC), who are helping Black Communities across Canada access substance use support that are safe and responsive to their needs.” said the Honourable Marjorie Michel, Minister of Health.

BHEC is a pan-Canadian initiative housed at DLSPH and Dalhousie University dedicated to improving health outcomes for Black communities across Canada. With the new federal funding, BHEC will lead the Fostering Learning Opportunities for Understanding and Reducing Inequities in Substance Use and Health in Black Communities (FLOURISH) project. Funding for the FLOURISH project comes from Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP) under the umbrella of the Canada Black Justice Strategy. SUAP supports innovative substance use prevention, harm reduction and treatment initiatives across the country.

“Substance use affects millions of Canadians, yet research and services addressing its impact on Black communities remain limited. This contributes to gaps in prevention and treatment including inadequate healthcare provider’s knowledge and skills in providing anti-racist, culturally affirming substance use care. These gaps stem from systemic anti-Black racism in the healthcare system and in society,” explains Sume Ndumbe-Eyoh, Director of BHEC and DLSPH Assistant Professor.

With this federal funding, the FLOURISH project aims to strengthen health systems and healthcare providers’ ability to deliver culturally safe, anti-racist care.

Advancing substance use and addiction support for Black individuals in Canada 

Nearly 15 percent of Black individuals in Canada use substances (i.e. alcohol, cannabis and other drugs), according to research published in 2023. Studies indicate that experiencing racial discrimination and systemic racism contributes to substance use within Black communities in Canada. However, many existing substance use and addictions services are not designed with Black communities in mind, and often overlook the impacts of racism, social determinants of health and cultural context. In addition, stigma can prevent some individuals from seeking help.

Addressing gaps in substance use care for Black individuals in Canada

Informed by Black experts and community members, the FLOURISH project will address these issues through multiple avenues. The first is a national needs assessment that will identify where the services and health systems can improve. Second, this funding will support the expansion of the Black Health Primer, a bilingual resource that offers foundational knowledge on anti-Black racism, to include content on substances use and addictions. The FLOURISH project will further conduct webinars on substance use prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery as well as in-person workshops for providers across Canada.

“I am pleased to hear that FLOURISH received funding from Health Canada,” says Danielle Martin, Member of Parliament for University—Rosedale and former Chair of the Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM) at the University of Toronto. “We all know that there is a tremendous amount of work to be done to close the gaps in outcomes for Black communities in the healthcare system, broadly speaking, and particularly for people who use substances. It’s critical to engage in that research, education and outreach so that we can make the healthcare system a safer place for Black people and Black communities where substance use is a challenge.”

As providers gain new knowledge and skills, the FLOURISH project will impact clinical and community care across the country. The result: more inclusive, responsive and effective substance use support for Black individuals in Canada.

Creating lasting change across health systems and across Canada

The FLOURISH project reflects a growing recognition that improving health outcomes requires more than expanding services; it requires transforming the systems that shape how care is delivered. The funding received from Health Canada enables Ndumbe-Eyoh and BHEC to continue this vital work.

“As a member of DLSPH, this funding represents an opportunity to continue to advance Black health within DLSPH and beyond through collaborations with academic institutions, health organizations and Black communities,” says Ndumbe-Eyoh. “It will foster spaces to address impacts of anti-Black racism and fill a gap in substance use research and services today and for generations to come.”

With files from Javiera-Violeta Duran Kairies