Canada has announced over $2.9 million in funding through the Youth Substance Use Prevention Program (YSUPP) to help communities develop tailored approaches for preventing substance use among youth. The program supports initiatives that reflect the unique needs of local populations, ensuring young people receive targeted support, opportunities, and safe environments to thrive.
This funding follows an initial $3.1 million allocation in June 2024 for implementing the Icelandic Prevention Model (IPM) in Canada. The IPM is a globally recognized, collaborative framework that focuses on ten key steps to strengthen communities, promote healthy environments, and prevent youth substance use through evidence-based strategies.
The second round of funding will support four projects in Alberta and Ontario, with each project receiving up to $750,000 over three years. These projects aim to identify, test, and evaluate community-specific interventions based on the IPM framework, building on existing initiatives to prevent substance-related harms among young people.
Local leaders and youth have emphasized the positive impact of YSUPP funding. Community coordinators highlighted how the support enables engagement with families and youth, strengthens prevention strategies, and improves overall community well-being. Representatives from Planet Youth programs in Lanark County, Timiskaming, Calgary, and Nipissing stressed that the funding helps create sustainable, long-term benefits for youth and their broader communities.
YSUPP is part of Canada’s renewed Drugs and Substance Strategy (CDSS), which includes a $20.2 million five-year investment. This initiative complements other government commitments under Budget 2023 and 2024, including $144 million for the Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP), $500 million for the Youth Mental Health Fund, and $150 million over three years for an Emergency Treatment Fund to respond to urgent opioid-related needs in municipalities and Indigenous communities.
The collective investment underscores Canada’s ongoing commitment to addressing youth substance use and mental health, empowering communities to implement evidence-based, preventative, and responsive programs that improve health outcomes for young people nationwide.
