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Submission to the United Nations Human Rights Committee: Review of Canada at 145th Session
The HIV Legal Network made this submission to the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Committee (“Committee”) in advance of its review of Canada’s periodic report, detailing our concerns about Canada’s implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). This submission provides information on violations of Articles 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, and … Read more
Information for Federally Incarcerated Individuals – Opioid Agonist Treatment in CSC
Correctional Service Canada (CSC) recently changed the OAT medications available to people in federal prisons. As of October 1, 2025, Suboxone is no longer part of CSC’s National Formulary. Suboxone has been replaced by Sublocade as the first-line treatment option for opioid use disorder (OUD). If you are on Suboxone, you will be asked to … Read more
Amending the Coroners Act to Enable Annual Reviews of Non-natural Deaths in Correctional Institutions
The Legal Network and HALCO oppose the proposed amendment to the Coroners Act that seeks to replace mandatory inquests for non-natural deaths in provincial and federal correcMonal insMtuMons with mandatory coroner-led annual reviews. This proposal represents a significant erosion of transparency and government accountability. While the Ministry frames this change as an efficiency measure, it … Read more
Urgent Concerns Regarding CSC’s Recent Opioid Agonist Treatment Policy Changes – Open Letter
Sign the letter here. 15 December 2025 Via email Anne Kelly, Commissioner, Correctional Service Canada (CSC) Marie Doyle, Assistant Commissioner, Health Services, CSC cc: Bassem Guirguis, National Pharmacist, CSC; Darcy Stoneadge, Director, Health Policy and Programs, CSC; Dr. Asim Masood, Chief Medical Office of Health, CSC; Dr. Guy Hébert, National Physician Lead, CSC; Dr. Nader … Read more
Open Letter – Urgent Concerns Regarding CSC’s Recent Opioid Agonist Treatment Policy Changes
Sign the letter here. 15 December 2025 Via email Anne Kelly, Commissioner, Correctional Service Canada (CSC) Marie Doyle, Assistant Commissioner, Health Services, CSC cc: Bassem Guirguis, National Pharmacist, CSC; Darcy Stoneadge, Director, Health Policy and Programs, CSC; Dr. Asim Masood, Chief Medical Office of Health, CSC; Dr. Guy Hébert, National Physician Lead, CSC; Dr. Nader … Read more
Securing Rights – 2024/25 Annual Report
We hope you’ll read our 2024-25 annual report — Securing Rights: Using Our Values to Meet the Moment — to find out more about the kind of positive change we’re making and get a glimpse of what we hope to accomplish in 2026.
State of HIV 2025 – Rights, Progress, and Unfinished Work
Despite progress over decades, Canada has failed to meet global 95-95-95 targets, and hard-won gains across the country are now being threatened by regressive legal and policy barriers that deter access to HIV testing, prevention, treatment, and care. This timely report looks at the state of the HIV response in Canada in 2025 and makes … Read more
Statement on the Federal Court’s Decision Regarding Public Interest Standing in the Medical Inadmissibility Challenge
We are deeply disappointed by the Federal Court’s decision dismissing the HIV Legal Network’s application (“motion”) for public interest standing in the constitutional challenge to Canada’s medical inadmissibility regime. In February 2024, the HIV Legal Network joined RA, an international student living with HIV, in challenging section 38(1)(c) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act … Read more
Submission to Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration Bill C-12: Strengthening Canada’s Immigration System and Borders Act
Bill C-12 will overhaul how people in Canada can access refugee protection or maintain lawful status by introducing new eligibility bars to refugee protection, broadening government discretion to end refugee claims, granting government sweeping new powers to cancel immigration status, and authorizing increased data-sharing of personal information across government agencies and with foreign governments. Submission … Read more
Open Letter to Ontario Health Officials regarding Parkdale CTS Closure
November 4, 2025 Dear Minister Jones: cc: Premier Ford Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Vijay Thanigasalam Dr. Kieran Moore, Chief Medical Officer of Health Ontario Medical Officers of Health, Ontario Public Health Ontario Ontario Public Health Association Public Health Agency of Canada Association of Local Public Health Agencies We are writing to demand that … Read more
Statement – Introducing Co-Pays Under IFHP Will Push People Away from Care
For immediate release The following can be attributed to the HIV Legal Network and the HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario (HALCO) January 30, 2026 – Toronto – The HIV Legal Network (the Legal Network) and the HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario (HALCO) condemn the Government of Canada’s decision to introduce co-payments under the … Read more
Statement on British Columbia’s disastrous decision to end drug decriminalization pilot.
We are deeply disappointed by the Government of British Columbia’s move to end its drug decriminalization pilot at the end of this month. This disastrous decision is a major step back in the efforts to end a toxic drug crisis that has killed more than 16,000 people in BC over the past decade; more lives … Read more
En cette Journée mondiale de lutte contre le sida, premier rapport sur « L’état du VIH au Canada » par le Réseau juridique VIH
Les taux de VIH sont en hausse, alors que nous savons ce qu’il faut faire pour prévenir les nouvelles infections et protéger la santé et les droits humains des personnes séropositives et affectées par le VIH. 1er décembre 2025, Toronto (Ont.) – Aujourd’hui, à l’occasion de la Journée mondiale de lutte contre le sida, le Réseau … Read more
HIV Legal Network launches key recommendations for the Government of Canada to end the HIV epidemic in this country
HIV rates are on the rise, and yet we know what needs to be done to prevent new transmissions while protecting the health and centering the human rights of people living with and affected by HIV November 27, 2025 – Ottawa, ON – Today, the HIV Legal Network is joined by people living with HIV … Read more
Statement – We condemn Government of Ontario’s forced closure of Parkdale’s only supervised consumption site
This statement can be attributed to the HIV Legal Network The Ford Government’s persistent attack on supervised consumption services and people who use drugs will end in further deaths October 27, 2025 –TORONTO – We are horrified by the Government of Ontario’s decision to force the closure of the Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS) site … Read more
MEDIA STATEMENT: Canada Must Show Leadership for Global Fund’s Eighth Replenishment
International Frontline Advocates in Ottawa to Rally Support for Critical Programming on Health and Human Rights This statement can be attributed to the HIV Legal Network October 20, 2025 – OTTAWA/TORONTO – Tomorrow — one month from the day that the Eighth Replenishment event for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria … Read more
Media Release – Ontario cuts back on proven prevention tools as HIV transmissions rise in Canada
More than 600 medical and legal experts issued an open letter today calling on the Government of Ontario to allow the distribution of syringes at HART Hubs Toronto ON – The Ontario government is endangering the health of people who use drugs by prohibiting the distribution of sterile needles and syringes through the province’s newly … Read more
MEDIA RELEASE: Despite Ontario Superior Court injunction recognizing irreparable harm, most remaining supervised consumption sites still facing forced closure tomorrow
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Despite Ontario Superior Court injunction recognizing irreparable harm, most remaining supervised consumption sites still facing forced closure tomorrow Toronto, ON | March 31, 2025 — In a small victory for those advocating for evidence-informed services, one Toronto supervised consumption site facing forced closure April 1, 2025, will keep its doors open as … Read more
Media Statement: The Neighbourhood Group Community Services and HIV Legal Network’s Comment Following the Conclusion of the Ontario Superior Court Constitutional Challenge on Supervised Consumption Sites
This statement can be attributed to The Neighbourhood Group Community Services and the HIV Legal Network March 26, 2025 – TORONTO – As of Tuesday, March 25, court proceedings in this challenge to Ontario’s Community Care and Recovery Act (CCRA) have now concluded. We are proud of the case we mounted at the Ontario Superior … Read more
STATEMENT: ONTARIO’S SO-CALLED COMMUNITY CARE AND RECOVERY ACT THREATENS THE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND LIBERTY OF MOST VULNERABLE MEMBERS OF COMMUNITIES PROVINCE-WIDE
We intervened in this critical legal challenge to uphold the health and human rights of those who are all too often pushed aside. For immediate release The following can be attributed to the HIV Legal Network and the HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario (HALCO), co-intervenors in the court challenge to Ontario’s Community Care and … Read more