About the project

Breaking The Ice (BTI) is a community engagement and outreach program focused on supporting people who use crystal meth in Toronto’s Downtown East. The team has a specific focus on understanding the needs and barriers faced by LGBTQ2S people who use drugs.

Peer-led and rooted in principles of harm reduction and anti-violence, the team:

• engages in regular street outreach,
• develops resources pertinent to community needs, and
• develops and delivers groups, workshops, and activities to both strengthen community capacity, as well as foster self-determination and agency in the folks we work with.

The BTI team also acts as a hub for referrals to case management, housing, mental and physical health services, and broadly supports diverse community needs for people who use drugs.

BTI 2.0

BTI was born during a frightening uptick in overdoses in the summer of 2017.  From that, a table of community harm reduction leaders, academics and frontline workers came together as we recognized a parallel community challenge, increased crystal meth use.

Conducting a needs assessment to better understand barriers and strengths for people who use crystal in the village in 2019, the team learned so much about the current situation and the types of supports folks so desperately needed.  The team has since been funded by the Toronto Urban Health Fund to action our findings.

As we find ourselves in another deeply tragic state of overdose death, deteriorating mental health in community, and increased homelessness – we couldn’t be happier to have this team around.

BTI 2.0 has been an integral part of our essential and emergency COVID-19 response to date.

What Does/Will BTI 2.0 do?

• In-person outreach supports to people who use drugs in the DTE (housing referrals, de-escalation and crisis intervention, emotional wellbeing support, and access to harm reduction and basic needs supplies)
• Supporting our Drop-In spaces: specifically acting as dedicated supports for people who use drugs within Sunday Drop-In and Meal Trans as they return.
• Monthly breakout programming for people who use crystal meth (e.g. creative writing/poetry, music development, come down tips, overdose recognition and response, zine-making, etc.)
• Resource development: the team is supporting the development of key informational resources to share in person and online so folks can make informed decisions about their engagement with crystal

Footage taken from various events surrounding International Overdose Awareness Day 2021 around Toronto.

Letters to Meth

Crystal After-Care Resource Insert

Breaking the Ice is funded by the Toronto Urban Health Fund. If you have questions or would like to know more, contact us at Ice@The519.org.