Chamber Reacts to Workplace Naloxone Program

(TORONTO – December 14, 2022) – Today, Rocco Rossi, President and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC), released the following statement in response to the launch of Ontario’s Workplace Naloxone Program, which will provide free naloxone kits to workplaces where staff are at risk of witnessing or experiencing an opioid overdose. Starting in June 2023, at-risk workplaces will be required to carry a kit and have trained staff:

“The opioid overdose crisis is significantly impacting communities across the province, affecting the health care system, labour force and economy. While this is a complex challenge that needs comprehensive solutions, introducing Naloxone into Ontario’s high-risk workplaces is an important step toward saving lives.

“This program effectively acknowledges the disparate impact of this crisis on different sectors and workplace settings such as in construction and bars and nightclubs. We are encouraged by the Ontario Government’s continued commitment to implementing the Roadmap to Wellness, which seeks to address mental health and addiction challenges through an integrated approach.

“Recognizing the health and economic dimensions of this crisis, the OCC will be undertaking policy work to illuminate the impacts on businesses, workers, the economy and the healthcare system. We look forward to collaborating with the Province and stakeholders to accelerate solutions to the crisis and support disproportionately affected communities and individuals.”

To access a free kit or training, please visit: https://www.ontario.ca/page/naloxone-workplace.

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About the Ontario Chamber of Commerce
For more than a century, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) has been the independent, non-partisan, indispensable partner of Ontario business. The OCC’s mission is to support economic growth in Ontario by defending business priorities at Queen’s Park on behalf of its network’s diverse 60,000 members.

For more information, please contact:
Andrea Carmona
Manager, Public Affairs,
Ontario Chamber of Commerce
andreacarmona@occ.ca | Mobile: (647) 234-0255