Following Ontario’s Big City Mayors’ renewed calls for involuntary treatment for people experiencing severe addiction, Premier Doug Ford told reporters he was open to the idea — drawing political applause but concern from harm-reduction groups.
In August 2026, Ontario’s Big City Mayors launched the next phase of their “solve the crisis campaign” called “reaction to recovery” where they have called for a new approach to this issue. Their calls to action focus on expanding timely access to treatment programs, a review of the provincial Mental Health Act and Healthcare Consent Act, the expansion of addiction treatment and rehabilitation programming within provincial and federal correctional institutions, and more.
Brampton and its mayor Patrick Brown are among municipalities and local government leaders calling for a re-examination of current mental health legislation to permit compulsory treatment for people experiencing severe substance use and mental health issues. Brown is pushing for Peel to be the site of a provincial pilot.
In a Sept. 20 column published in the Toronto Sun, Brown reiterated his call for what he refers to as “compassionate intervention” to support individuals living with severe addictions, concurrent mental health disorders and acquired brain injuries.
“We see every day what happens when someone in severe crisis is not able to ask for help themselves,” Brown said in a news release issued in response to Ford’s comments. “This is about connecting people to the care they need, easing the pressure on our emergency services and keeping our community safe,” said Brown.
In 2024, Mayor Brown urged the provincial government to consider a pilot project in Peel Region, where a physician could order compulsory treatment if they felt it was necessary for the health of the individual and the safety of others.
Brampton City Council unanimously passed a motion formally requesting the provincial government establish the project. However, when it went before regional council it received pushback from other councillors. Brown withdrew the original request and councillors, instead, passed an amended motion focused on voluntary harm reduction services and treatment wait times.
Renewed calls for provincial action
Calls for compulsory treatment from mayors across the province have resurfaced as Ontario continues to see significant drug-related harms.
The Office of the Chief Coroner reported 709 suspected drug-related deaths between June and August 2026, a 35 per cent increase from the same period in 2019.
Last year, Peel recorded 76 opioid toxicity deaths, 126 paramedic naloxone calls, 924 emergency department visits for suspected opioid toxicity and 247 confirmed emergency department presentations for opioid toxicity, according to the region.
Harm reduction specialists weigh in
Jillian Watkins, the executive director of Moyo Health and Community Services, a Peel organization that focuses on harm reduction, among other issues, has expressed skepticism about the idea of involuntary treatment for drug addiction.
“There is some evidence that shows people may be at higher risk of overdose deaths following involuntary treatment,” said Watkins.
The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA), in its February 2025 evidence brief, stated evidence supporting involuntary treatment for drug use was mixed and limited.
The report states “research reviews have found that while some studies suggest InvTx (involuntary treatment) can help people stay in treatment programs longer, most do not show significant improvements in reducing substance use.”
“In some cases, InvTx has been linked to negative health outcomes, such as increased risk of overdose or death,” the report adds.
The CCSA cites a Kisely, Bull and Gill article from 2024 that refers to a study conducted in Massachusetts. The study suggested people who were subject to compulsory treatment were 2.2 times more likely to die from an opioid-related overdose and 1.9 times more likely to die from any cause after compulsory treatment than people who received voluntary care.
Watkins stated she believes this is the case because “someone wasn’t in a place where they were ready for treatment.
“Putting someone in involuntary treatment and then putting them right back into the circumstances they were in before does not set them up for success,” she said, adding, “there’s a high likelihood of returning to drug use and then being at a much higher risk for overdose.”
However, Brown, in his opinion piece, stated involuntary treatment would not replace ongoing care. Rather, it would serve as an intervention for people who are unable to seek treatment themselves, with long-term treatment and support being an integral part of the process.
Ongoing support after treatment needed
Concerns remain about whether adequate support will be available when people complete treatment and return to the community.
“There’s not enough places for people who want voluntary treatment, let alone involuntary treatment… The system is not set up for something like that to work,” said Watkins.
Peel reported shelter demand exceeded capacity in 2025, requiring 205 overflow hotel spaces, a 14 per cent increase from 2024. The region also identified a “lack of deeply affordable and supportive housing” for people experiencing mental health and addiction challenges.
Brown, in his column, called for increased provincial supports on this issue as well as a pilot with a high medical threshold, regular assessments and aftercare for patients, while protecting individuals’ rights and treating them with dignity.
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Bridget Potasky, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Mississauga.com.