Richmond Hill Vigil Remembers Lives Lost to Drug Poisoning and Overdose |
Families, advocates and community members gathered to remember loved ones, challenge the stigma surrounding addiction and call for stronger support across York Region. |
Behind every overdose statistic is a person — and a family or community left grieving their loss.
On Aug. 27, families, advocates and community members gathered at L’Arche Daybreak in Richmond Hill for an annual vigil honouring people who have died from drug poisoning and overdose.
Organized by the Harm Reduction Coalition of York Region, the gathering offered a space for people to share personal stories, remember loved ones and reflect on what more can be done to prevent future deaths.
The vigil came just days before International Overdose Awareness Day on Aug. 31, which marks its 25th anniversary this year under the theme “25 Years On. Still Needed.”
The numbers show why the conversation remains urgent. According to Ontario Drug Policy Research Network data cited by organizers, Ontario recorded 668 suspected drug-related deaths between May and July 2026, including 219 in July alone.
But advocates stressed that addressing the issue requires looking beyond the numbers. Valerie Kuye, programs manager of harm reduction and Hepatitis C at CAYR Community Connections, said people who use substances may also be dealing with homelessness, mental-health challenges, stigma and barriers within the health-care system.
Access to harm-reduction services can also be difficult in York Region. Kuye noted that while supplies may be available, there aren't enough people or locations to distribute them — particularly outside traditional daytime hours. One of the coalition's key messages is that people with lived experience need to have a voice in the policies and programs designed to help them.
And perhaps the simplest message to come from the Richmond Hill gathering was also the most important: see the person before the addiction.
As Kuye put it, “If you see people first, you treat them as people.”
For the families who gathered Thursday, the vigil was a chance to make sure the people they've lost are remembered that way, too. |
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grew up in richmond hill and never knew the harm reduction coalition was doing this kind of work here. Going to look into how i can help
The Harm Reduction Coalition of York Region would no doubt welcome your support, reaching out to CAYR Community Connections is a great place to start if you're looking to get involved locally.
Jen T.Same, I had no idea either. Their website probably has volunteer info. Let me know if you find anything, I'd be interested too.
awareness vigils are fine but what actual services are being added in york region. I want to see action not just candles
skeptical_steve99Completely agree. The article mentions there aren't enough locations or people to distribute supplies outside daytime hours. That feels like a concrete gap someone could actually fund. Would love to see the region respond to that specifically.
It's a fair challenge, and advocates at the vigil raised the same concern, Valerie Kuye specifically pointed to the shortage of people and locations to distribute harm-reduction supplies, especially outside of daytime hours, as a gap that urgently needs to be filled.
the quote from valerie kuye really stuck with me. If you see people first you treat them as people. Wish more politicians actually believed that
That line from Kuye really is the heart of the piece, and the hope is that putting it so plainly helps move that message beyond the vigil and into the conversations that shape policy.
Marcus OseiThat line hit me too. You'd think it would be obvious but somehow it still needs to be said out loud at a vigil in 2025. Says a lot about how far we still have to go.
love that they hold this vigil every year. 25 years of overdose awareness day and we still need it, that says a lot
carolwilson44Yeah the theme this year really says it all. 25 years on and still needed. That's not a success story, that's a warning.
The theme this year, "25 Years On. Still Needed.", says it all, and as long as hundreds of Ontarians are dying every month, these annual gatherings remain just as vital as ever.
the point about harm reduction services not being available outside daytime hours is a real problem. People don't only struggle between 9 and 5
It's one of the most practical barriers raised at the vigil, and Kuye's point makes it clear, people in crisis don't operate on a 9-to-5 schedule, and harm-reduction services can't afford to either.
Tom B.This is so true and honestly frustrating. Crises don't follow business hours. Neither should the support.
i had no idea l'arche daybreak hosted something like this. Really good to know our community is coming together for this
L'Arche Daybreak has been a meaningful home for this gathering, and you're right, it's a testament to how deeply this community cares about coming together in moments of grief and reflection.
Priya NoelL'Arche Daybreak does a lot of quiet community work that doesn't get much attention. Nice to see this highlighted.
219 deaths in july alone in ontario. That number is horrifying. This stuff is happening everywhere not just the city
You're absolutely right, and that's exactly why advocates stressed that this isn't just an urban crisis, 668 suspected drug-related deaths across Ontario in just three months is a reminder that no community is untouched.
dave_rhRight, people assume this is a downtown Toronto problem. It's in every suburb, every small town. The numbers make that impossible to ignore.
my cousin passed from an overdose two years ago and nobody talked about it at the funeral like it was something to be ashamed of. Glad there are people out there finally saying see the person first
Sandra M.I'm so sorry about your cousin. That silence around it does so much damage. People grieve differently when they feel like they can't even say what happened. Thank you for sharing that.
Thank you so much for sharing that, the silence you describe at your cousin's funeral is exactly the kind of stigma this vigil pushes back against, and your willingness to speak about it openly is part of how that changes.