Deadline: 04-Nov-2025
Health Canada’s Emergency Treatment Fund is a vital initiative designed to provide urgent, targeted support to municipalities and Indigenous communities across Canada in response to the ongoing overdose crisis.
Through this program, the federal government aims to strengthen local capacity and deliver culturally relevant, trauma-informed, and evidence-based health programs that address immediate community needs.
The 2024 federal budget committed $150 million over three years to the Emergency Treatment Fund, beginning in the 2024–2025 fiscal year. Funding will be distributed through calls for proposals, supporting projects that directly align with the program’s priorities. The total maximum amount of funding available per fiscal year for a single organization is $2 million, and successful projects are expected to begin as early as April 1, 2026, with completion required by March 31, 2027.
For the 2025 call for proposals, urgency is the primary funding priority—meaning projects must demonstrate a clear, immediate need for intervention in relation to the overdose crisis within their specific community context. Health Canada will also give preference to projects that can prove financial feasibility and readiness, ensuring funds are spent responsibly and projects can be completed within the set timeline.
A broad range of organisations are eligible to apply. This includes Canadian municipalities and their agencies outside Quebec and Alberta, as well as Indigenous entities such as First Nations, Inuit communities, Métis governing bodies, Modern Treaty Holders, Self-Governing Nations, and legally registered or incorporated not-for-profit Indigenous organisations. National and regional Indigenous organisations, associations, and health authorities may also apply. Current and past recipients of the Emergency Treatment Fund can reapply, though priority may be given to new applicants presenting distinct projects.
Indigenous entities in Quebec and Alberta remain eligible to apply; however, specific administrative procedures apply in Quebec, where certain Indigenous organisations must obtain written confirmation from the Ministre responsable des Relations canadiennes et de la Francophonie Canadienne before applying.
The fund also allows for collaboration through third-party agreements, enabling Indigenous-led applicants to share funding with non-Indigenous not-for-profit partners, provided that the activities directly benefit the intended community. Applicants are responsible for ensuring proper management and reporting on project outcomes.
All applicants and proposed activities must comply with federal, provincial, and municipal laws. Municipalities and Indigenous governments are not required to submit proof of eligibility, while other organisations must provide documentation confirming their status. Entities not listed under the eligible categories—such as Quebec and Alberta municipalities subject to specific provincial legislation—are ineligible to apply directly and should seek support through their respective provincial governments.
Through this fund, Health Canada continues to demonstrate its commitment to a compassionate, evidence-based approach to addressing the overdose crisis—empowering communities to respond swiftly and effectively to save lives and strengthen local health systems.
For more information, visit Government of Canada.