Toronto Indigenous Harm Reduction is a response to the epidemic of ongoing colonization and lack of services for the urban Indigenous population.

TIHR aims to reduce harm around stigmatized experiences such as substance use, displacement, and other survival strategies resulting from racism and colonization.

We are a grassroots initiative that endeavors to reduce the harm and burden that society places on Indigenous people with stigmatized experiences such as substance use, houselessness, incarceration and most recently, covid-19 and more. Through access to ceremony, traditional food and medicines, essential survival items, transportation, communication networks, access to healthcare and aide, we firmly believe harm reduction is a lifesaving practice.

The Indigenous People we support are survivors of this countries' historical and ongoing genocide, including residential schools, Indian day schools, the 60’s scoop, and the millennial scoop.  TIHR coordinators are also intergenerational survivors of these systems.

TIHR began as a response to the massive shutdown of frontline services during the first wave of the covid19 pandemic. Since early 2020, we have responded to the crisis and continue to work on the ground in our community daily.  TIHR has been on the frontlines of encampment support and the devastating overdose crisis that is currently taking place across Turtle Island. Many Indigenous peoples continue to reside outdoors due to the housing crisis in Toronto. The city shelters were found guilty of not providing adequate social distancing in their shelter systems, making it unsafe for people to reside there during the pandemic. They continue to be over capacity and often without space for those in crisis. Toronto has much less shelter and housing space than is needed, despite it's enormous wealth, leaving thousands of people outside routinely, especially those Indigenous people with disabilities, mental health, trauma and those who use substances. Indigenous people continue to be displaced from their own territories and are consistently seeking refuge on their own homelands.

We will continue to provide support to Indigenous folks in Toronto through your generous donations and with the help of those who believe in the value of harm reduction as a lifesaving and unconditional expression of Love and support.

Check out our most recent endeavor, the Native Arts Society.