On World AIDS Day, Federal Health Minister, Ginette Petitpas-Taylor, signed onto the U=U Consensus Statement on behalf of all of Canada! Surrounding her on Parliament Hill, amidst cheers and revelry were the team members from the AIDS Committee of Ottawa, U=U Campaign founder Bruce Reichman and community members. Executive Director of the AIDS Committee of Ottawa, Khaled Salem, wrote of the occasion: “Words cannot express our sentiments and truly convey our feelings surrounding this momentous occasion, when we, as an organization, city, country and most importantly, as the HIV community made history together.  “Our collective hearts were filled with pride, and tears were trickling down

This has been a pivotal year for HIV and hepatitis C prevention, testing and treatment. Researchers and clinicians have pioneered game-changing HIV treatment regimens, Canadian liver experts have expanded recommendations for hepatitis C testing, and the overdose crisis has triggered an unprecedented response from harm reduction workers, coast to coast. Following a period of online voting, the CATIE has released reader-submitted list of top HIV and hepatitis C stories of 2018.

Nous sommes très heureux et fiers d’annoncer que l’inscription est ouverte pour une toute première formation en français de l’Institut de développement du leadership positifTM (IDLP) auprès des Franco-Ontariens vivant avec le VIH. Aussi connu sous son nom anglais de PLDI (Positive Leadership Development InstituteTM), l’IDLP vise à outiller les personnes vivant avec le VIH (PVVIH) afin qu’ils /elles développent leur potentiel de leadership et accroissent leur capacité à participer, de manière significative, à la vie communautaire. La formation Module de base : Qui suis-je en tant que leader ? aura lieu en français à Ottawa, au Sheraton Ottawa Hotel du 17 au 20 janvier 2019. Cette formation est aussi le

Last week, the Federal government announced changes in exemption procedures for Safe Consumption sites across Canada. Here’s an excerpt of a reaction from Regional HIV/AIDS Connection: “In Ontario, this means that regions in urgent need of support will be able to work directly with Federal representatives to receive exemptions for new sites with the goal of reducing overdoses, linking people who use drugs to care and dramatically reducing the potential for new HIV acquisitions by providing clean equipment and accurate, up-to-date information to people accessing these services…this change has incredible potential to improve the lives of all Canadians – especially those

The Ontario AIDS Network Office will be closed from December 24 – January 1 (inclusive) with our cheery, capable team returning to work starting January 2, 2019. This means any recently submitted expense reimbursement forms will wait to be processed until the New Year. For those of you also taking a break during this time frame: enjoy! We look forward to continuing our work together, in our growing and changing sector in the coming year.

Thank you to all member agencies who have been updating the OAN Calendar with their events – it helps all of us to know what is on the way.  The calendar can be accessed *and updated* by going to oan.red/events/ and entering your details.

January is definitely a new beginning for many of us, but here at the OAN it signals the closure of a cycle as well. On behalf of all of the staff of the OAN, we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Wendy Pinder, Acting Executive Director, as she completes her full-time contract with us and returns to the Ontario Organizational Development Program as Program Administrator. Since her arrival last February, Wendy has overseen three successful Skills Workshops (as well as the planning of the upcoming ED/Board Chair Forum), two Board trainings and our best-attended AGM ever! Additionally, Wendy worked very

Following a period of uncertainty, member agency Positive Living Niagara has opened Niagara region’s first Overdose Prevention Site. A brilliant article released yesterday by CBC news highlighted some of the StreetWorks Services‘ accomplishments and life saving interventions in its inaugural month of expanded operation. Kudos to Talia Storm, Manager of StreetWorks Services and to Glen Walker, Executive Director of Positive Living Niagara for the life-saving collaboration!

The deadline to submit a nomination form for this year’s OAN Honour Roll award ceremony is just around the corner! Forms are due no later than end of day Monday, January 14th, 2019 to allow our committee to review submissions and invite inductees to our event on Saturday, March 2nd. There are three awards open for public submission: The Person with HIV/AIDS Leadership Award The Caring Hands Award The Community Partners Award For more information and to download a nomination form, go to our Nomination Form page.

The Ontario HIV Treatment Network (OHTN) is currently seeking community feedback on anti-stigma campaigns related to HIV/AIDS, including PrEP and U=U. Participants are asked to watch a 3-minute video and fill out a 7-minute survey. Click here to help!