Business owners and residents weigh in on the controversial closure of Kensington Market’s overdose prevention site
Author Archives: Alexandra Keeler
Alexandra Keeler is a Toronto-based reporter focused on covering mental health, drugs and addiction, crime and social issues. Alexandra has more than a decade of freelance writing experience.
Posted inDrugs
When pleasure becomes pain: How substance use damages the body and brain
Sustained drug use profoundly impacts brain function and physical health, leading to irreversible damage and long-term health risks
Posted inDrugs
Provinces are underspending on mental health and addiction, report says
The provinces are receiving billions in federal funds to address mental health and substance use. Why are so many spending so little?
![Safe needle disposal box at Deverill Square Gyro 2 Park in Nanaimo, B.C., Sept. 5, 2024. [Photo credit: Alexandra Keeler]](https://i0.wp.com/www.canadianaffairs.news/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/IMAGE-2024-09-09-19_26_57.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&ssl=1)
Posted inDrugs
Nanaimo syringe stabbing reignites calls for involuntary care
Some politicians, police and community groups argue involuntary care is key to addressing severe addiction and mental health issues
![Kensington Market Overdose Prevention Site in Toronto, Dec. 18, 2024. [Photo credit: Alexandra Keeler]](https://i0.wp.com/www.canadianaffairs.news/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/photo_2025-01-02-14.13.21.jpeg?resize=1200%2C900&ssl=1)
Posted inDrugs
New lawsuit challenges Ontario’s decision to prohibit safe consumption services
Critics says Ontario’s plan to replace supervised consumption sites with HART Hubs will exacerbate harms to drug addicts and strain the health-care system
Posted inDrugs
How Alberta’s Red Woman House supports Indigenous women in recovery
Alberta’s Red Woman House helps Indigenous women recover from addiction through its emphasis on cultural practices and long-term recovery
Posted inDrugs
Cannabis survey reveals many positive trends—and some concerning ones
Cannabis legalization has achieved many of policymakers key goals, survey reveals. But many users remain unaware of cannabis’ key risks
Posted inDrugs
Is ‘masculinity’ behind male loneliness and substance use disorders?
Men who adhere to traditional masculinity norms are more likely to be lonely, experts say — and at risk of struggling with addiction
Posted inDrugs
Supreme Court rules governments can sue opioid companies together
A landmark Supreme Court ruling lets Canada’s governments file a single class-action lawsuit for drug crisis health-care costs
Posted inDrugs
B.C. orders database destruction after professor presents controversial housing study
The B.C. government instructed an academic to destroy his database after he presented findings on a better way to house substance users