In the centre of Ontario's drug crisis, Fort William First Nation fights for new facility
Thunder Bay district still has the highest opioid-related death rate in the province
After declaring a state of emergency over its toxic drug crisis last summer, Fort William First Nation hasn't stopped advocating for more resources for its members.
The Ojibway First Nation, which neighbours Thunder Bay, Ont., has purchased a facility at an undisclosed, off-reserve location to support people who have completed a detox program as they wait to get into treatment.
The problem? Neither the provincial nor federal government has agreed to help support the facility's operating costs, according to Chief Michele Solomon.
"Because it's not on reserve, we are not funded or assisted by the federal government, and the provincial government funding sources push us back to the federal government — so we become a hot potato between these governments," Solomon said.
The Thunder Bay district, which encompasses Fort William, continues to have the highest opioid-related death rate in Ontario at nearly five times the provincial average, according to the latest report from Ontario's Office of the Chief Coroner.
"Whatever challenges you see Thunder Bay facing … this is amplified in a community like ours because of the lack of resources that are available at our fingertips," said Solomon.
We become a hot potato between these governments.- Chief Michele Solomon, Fort William First Nation
About 1,000 people live in Fort William, while the First Nation itself has just under 3,000 members. While the community has services available to help those dependent on substances, including a community mental health and addiction harm reduction outreach program, Solomon hopes the addiction care facility will bridge the gaps created by long wait times to get into treatment.
"We're already looking at a $1-million investment into this facility, and we want it operational. We want our people to be able to use this facility," Solomon said.
"We believe that this is a model of care that other First Nations and other communities, I think, could incorporate … and I believe that it's a missing piece in the mental health and addiction system."
Province, feds speak to addictions investments
Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) spent more than $440,000 on mental health and addictions support in Fort William First Nation in 2024-2025 through the Indigenous Health Equity Fund, said spokesperson Pascal Laplante in an emailed statement to CBC News on Friday.
In the same fiscal year, "ISC provided approximately $225,000 in new annual funding under the Indigenous Health Equity Fund to support Fort William's health priorities, as determined by the community," he said.
While Laplante did not specifically mention the addiction care facility Fort William has purchased, he said "ISC is aware of the challenges that Fort William First Nation is experiencing as they see a rise in addictions in the region.
"Meetings have been held with the community and the province of Ontario to discuss long-term supports and address critical needs in response to their state of emergency," Laplante said.
The closest treatment centres to Fort William are Ka-Na-Chi-Hih (youth treatment) in Thunder Bay, and Dilico Adult Residential Addiction located in Fort William First Nation, he said. Furthermore, ISC's Non-Insured Health Benefits program covers travel costs to the closest appropriate and available treatment centre.
When asked about the province's support for Fort William's addiction care facility, a spokesperson for Ontario's Ministry of Health provided an emailed statement.
While they did not mention any funding specifically for Fort William, they said the government "is using every tool we have to help people get the treatment they need by expanding access to safe, comprehensive mental health and addiction services," said spokesperson Ema Popovic on Thursday.
In the Thunder Bay area, this includes support for:
- A new Homelessness and Addictions Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub.
- Nearly 60 new addictions beds and safe sobering beds at Dilico Anishinabek Family Care and St. Joseph's Care Group.
- A new Youth Wellness Hub.
- The Superior North Specialized Treatment and Alternative Responders mobile crisis response team.
Creating a recovery community
Long Lake #58 First Nation has been taking a community-led approach to addressing alcoholism and addiction by supporting collective healing with its members.
The Ojibway community does not have a dedicated detox centre on reserve. Instead, they've been bringing groups of people to a First Nation-owned hotel in Thunder Bay — about 300 kilometres away — to participate in a 10-day detox program before going into treatment.
The First Nation is celebrating 22 of its members who recently completed a treatment program at Dilico Anishinabek Family Care.
"Seeing them look so healthy and actually want to do the work and still want to continue their healing, and just working towards bettering their lives, it's really amazing to see," said Noreen Agnew, manager of Long Lake #58's band rep program.
Participants completed a month-long post-treatment program at Pasha Lake, where they did traditional activities on the land such as fishing and sharing circles. Now, they're back in Thunder Bay and preparing to return to their First Nation after a nearly four-month journey, Agnew said.
Kyle Arnold is a community support worker specializing in addiction for Long Lake #58. He's more than six years into his recovery from addiction.
"I think it's so important for them to heal together because they are creating a recovery community within their community, and I think that's the piece that's been missing," Arnold said of the group from Long Lake #58.
"A lot of them are related, they're family, and it's strengthened them as a core — and it's bringing recovery into [Long Lake #58]."
Agnew said a key part of the program's success has been listening to participants "and letting them lead us."
"We're giving them the opportunity to tell us, 'OK, this is what we need.' So OK, let's help them do that," she said.
Back in Fort William First Nation, Solomon said she's going to continue pushing for community-led solutions to the drug crisis.
"When you have services that are designed by the community that they're intended to serve, then it will have those values in mind. It will have those ways of knowing and being in mind," said Solomon.
"The more the user of the service can provide input to what that service looks like, the more likely it is to have success."
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