We are very pleased to announce that the Ontario PLDI team is growing! Please join Tara, Joseph and Martin in welcoming our new team members – Benjamin from Central Region, Brittany from Eastern Region, Eno from Western Region, Kendall from Central Region, and Kurt from the Northern Region. Congratulations to you all for being part of our growing and dynamic PLDI team! We’re honoured to have you with us! We know you’re going to be a valuable asset to PLDI and we can’t wait to see all that we will accomplish together. It’s amazing to have such young, fresh and

The GMSH plays a critical role in bridging the gap between health authorities and 2GBTQ+ guys—making sure that information is culturally relevant and effective in the community. Earlier this week, the GMSH collaborated with RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 11 runner up and Canada’s Queen of the North, the gorgeous Brooke Lynn Hytes to bring a message of love and comfort to our community during this difficult time. Watch and share today on Facebook & Instagram.

Are you in need of some good news? There’s great work happening in ASOs across the province and they are stepping up to contribute to the well-being of our communities. The AIDS Committee of Ottawa (ACO) delivers Food Bank Fridays where they feed up to 70 folks who pick up much needed food supplies. The ACO team has done an amazing job of setting up a food bank pick-up system that gives access to this basic necessity to their community members. ACO also delivers food to those who are unable to come to their office. Asian Community AIDS Services (ACAS) is

The Women & HIV/AIDS Initiative (WHAI) recently launched their new website! Utilizing an online space for sharing information and centring the voices of women, WHAI’s website includes updated features such as an in-depth overview of WHAI work and areas of focus, relevant resources, community events calendar, and community news. WHAI invites you to explore their website and connect! Go here to check it out!

If you’re new to the sector or want to brush up on some essential skills, then you might want to check out the HIV Resources Ontario Essentials Guide. Found here, the Guide is meant to build capacity in Ontario’s HIV sector by establishing a common core curriculum. This work may be one of your most rewarding, challenging and meaningful work experiences; we certainly hope it will be. But there’s a lot to learn and thankfully there are many resources available and some great ones have been assembled in the Essentials Guide.

These are uncertain times where we’re increasingly isolated and disconnected and this has an impact on our mental health. The ABRPO has collected a number of mental health resources meant to help folks cope during these challenging and high anxiety times. Go here for new and emerging resources.

Dear PLDI Leadership Grads, We sincerely hope that you are doing well and finding some moments of peace and comfort in light of all that we are having to do as communities to keep ourselves and others safe at this time. The PLDI team is thinking of you and hopes that you are taking care of, and being gentle with, yourselves when you need to be. The  PLDI Team has been quite busy this year and the program is moving from strength to strength.  Our most recent training was a pilot Facilitator’s Training held in February, with twenty-six participants representing

Are you in need of some good news? There’s great work happening in ASOs across the province and they are stepping up to contribute to the food security of people living with HIV. Super agencies like Black CAP, Casey House, the Toronto People with AIDS Foundation, the AIDS Committee of Durham Region and others across the province are working to ensure that the bellies of our community are full. Thanks all for your amazing work.

The Indigenous COVID Pathways Phoneline can be reached at: 437-703-8703 4pm – 9pm, 7 days a week – hours to increase in the coming weeks There are special considerations for Indigenous populations with respect to COVID-19 testing and isolation including historical and ongoing breaches of trust, attitudinal and systemic racism by healthcare providers and high rates of inadequate/unsafe housing, displacement and social disconnection. As a result of longstanding discrimination and social exclusion, Indigenous people may be more likely to avoid seeking testing or care for COVID until symptoms are advanced. The Indigenous COVID Pathways Phoneline has been established to advance

Join CATIE, the Ontario Harm Reduction Network and the Ontario Harm Reduction Distribution Program for a webinar on Wednesday, April 22, from 1 to 2:30 pm for an overview of COVID-19 infection prevention and control practices in Ontario. This webinar is for all people working in harm reduction. Here is a link to register. Please also all of CATIE’s COVID-19 related webinars here.

These are uncertain times where we’re increasingly isolated and disconnected and this has an impact on our mental health. The ABRPO has collected a number of mental health resources meant to help folks cope during these challenging and high anxiety times. Go here for new and emerging resources.

Over the past two weeks CATIE has delivered two important webinars on COVID-19. The most recent webinar provided an interactive forum for people from across the country who are involved in HIV clinical, community and research work to discuss how we might manage an effective response to HIV during a period of profound disruption to society, the health system and the economy. That webinar was recorded and is available to view here. The previous webinar provided some important insights into COVID-19 from the perspective of those working on the frontlines of HIV, HCV and harm reduction. That webinar is available to

The Gay Men’s Sexual Health Alliance (GMSH) has launched a series of thirteen infographics reviewing information on COVID-19, including transmission, prevention and taking care of yourself and others while practising physical distancing. These infographics are available in English and French and can be found here. Pay close attention to GMSH Social Channels as they continue to add new resources, host live streaming events on 2GBTQ Men’s Health and COVID-19, and work to ensure that our communities have the information they need to protect their health. You may even see a Drag Queen or two!

The Ontario HIV Treatment Network (OHTN) has curated a list of resources for people in Ontario who are living with HIV that includes information about the  impact of COVID-19 on health and on going care. The page provides links to vetted sources of up-to-date information, and will be continuously updated as new information is made available. Go here to access these resources. In addition to the resources above, the OHTN is sharing news, information and resources on their social media channels on a daily basis. Please make sure to check their social media feeds for the latest information.

With the deepening of the COVID-19 crisis has come some important updates about access to HIV medications, both for treatment and prevention. Recently, the Ministry of Health issued new guidance to pharmacists about dispensing medications, including HIV medications, during the COVID-19 emergency. To lessen the risk of drug shortages that could result from increased demand due to the pandemic and to ensure that sufficient medication will be available, the Ministry is recommending that pharmacists dispense no more than a 30-day supply of Ontario Drug Benefit(ODB)-eligible medications, including HIV medications. This means that those who have traditionally refilled their HIV and

The COVID-19 pandemic poses unique challenges to HIV/AIDS service organizations and the sector as a whole. To support front line agencies, HIV Resources Ontario (HRO) has compiled a list of resources for service providers and the people they serve. Go here to learn more. HRO is a network of capacity building organizations whose mandate includes offering free training, assistance, and information dissemination to community-based AIDS Service Organizations across the province.  HRO network partners help organizations like yours implement and sustain a high-impact approach to HIV prevention and support.

It’s clear that we’re facing a unique and complicated public health crisis in Ontario and we need to ensure that people in Ontario’s HIV sector are informed and prepared to respond. We are committed to sharing information and resources as they become available and would like to share some important updates. As we navigate the Coronavirus crisis, many agencies have had to close their doors to help protect staff, clients and their stakeholders.  Public forums and activities have also been cancelled or rescheduled across the sector and many organizations are doing their best to provide remote support, so feel free

CATIE recently published an article on what you need to know about Coronavirus, HIV and Hepatitis C.  Below is an excerpt. An HIV-positive person on effective treatment is not expected to be at higher risk of becoming seriously ill with COVID-19 A person with untreated HIV or a low CD4+ cell count may be at higher risk of becoming seriously ill with COVID-19 People with HIV or hepatitis C are more likely to have other conditions that carry a greater risk of becoming seriously ill with COVID-19 It is very important that people at increased risk for serious illness with

COVID-19 is a serious disease and all people living with HIV should take all recommended preventive measures to minimize exposure to, and prevent infection by, the virus that causes COVID-19. As in the general population, older people living with HIV or people living with HIV with heart or lung problems may be at a higher risk of becoming infected with the virus and of suffering more serious symptoms. UNAIDS has created a brochure and Info-graphic for more detailed information. Learn more here!

There has been a lot of talk about how Social Distancing can help curtail the COVID-19 crisis, but we may want to consider using the term Physical Distancing instead.   The thought behind this is that while we should maintain physical boundaries and distance to reduce transmission of coronavirus, we need to promote social connections in order to help support and enhance relationships. Being isolated can have an unhealthy impact on individuals and society, so it’s important to find creative ways to be connected with each other – especially for the folks in our community who are more likely to face isolation. Psychology

In their March 17 newsletter, Tech Soup Canada published a great resource to help Nonprofit Organizations work effectively during this COVID-19 crisis.  Please take the time to read the full article which provides useful tips to help create balance and effective remote habits.

Here is a list of our Member Agencies and their closure details. This page will continue to update, so please stay tuned. 2-Spirited People of the 1st Nations – Asian Community AIDS Services (ACAS) – http://acas.org/acas-offices-closed/ ACCHO – AIDS Committee of Durham Region (ACDR) – https://www.aidsdurham.com/covid-19.html AIDS Committee of North Bay and Area (ACNBA) – AIDS Committee of Ottawa) (ACO) – http://aco-cso.ca/aco-services-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/ ACT – https://www.actoronto.org/ Action Positive – Connect by phone 416-340-8484 ext 260 and e-mails at info@actionpositive.ca Africans In Partnership Against AIDS (APAA) – ARCH – https://www.archguelph.ca/COVID19 Black CAP – http://www.blackcap.ca/page.php?u=/news-events/covid19 Bruce House – https://brucehouse.ca/covid-19-bruce-house-programs-and-services/ Casey House – https://www.caseyhouse.com/how-we-help/day-health-program-services/

Sunday, March 8 is International Women’s Day. This is an important moment for the OAN and its Members to stop and reflect on the leadership of HIV positive women in Ontario and the organizations that support them. This year we’d like to recognize the work of Voices of Positive Women and the agency’s legacy of supporting HIV positive women in Ontario and building a generation powerful HIV positive women who are still leading today. Voices closed ten years ago and we must always remember the important work of this agency and its many contributions to our sector. We would also

This spring, the Ontario HIV Treatment Network (OHTN) will be launching PrEPStart, a program to provide three months of PrEP free for people who do not have a drug plan in Ontario. This short-term supply of medication can allow participants to start PrEP immediately while applying for ongoing coverage through a public or private drug plan. Along with their medication, participants will receive additional information on the different ways to pay for PrEP in Ontario and the option to connect with the project pharmacist for support while applying for ongoing drug coverage. The OHTN is also adding additional resources to

Between February 28 and March 1, the OAN hosted a highly successful Executive Director/Board Chair Forum. More than 65 EDs and Board Chairs from across our province attended and participated in deep and thoughtful discussions about the health of their agencies, how to work toward Reconciliation, and how the Members of the OAN do their collective work. One of the key sessions at the Forum explored the importance of the ED and Board Chair relationship and how they can become better co-pilots in their agency. We’d like to thank our Advisory Committee for supporting the development of a responsive and

The OAN is seeking a dynamic, energetic and highly organized Manager of Communications and Member Development! The Manager of Communications and Member Development provides the OAN with overall management of province-wide Member services, coordination of the Skills Workshop Series and Skills+ webinar training programs, ongoing communication with Members, and other services as required. If you, or anyone you know would be a great fit for the role please direct them to apply here. The application deadline is Friday, March 20, 2020.

This week Casey House launched #Smashstigma 2020 as a part of their ongoing effort to ignite conversation around the stigma that people living with HIV/AIDS experience. In 2017, they kicked off the #smashstigma campaign with June’s, the world’s first HIV+ Eatery and in 2018 opened Healing House, the world’s first HIV+ Spa. Both award-winning campaigns gained global attention and increased awareness around stigma and HIV. The third iteration of #smashstigma focuses around the power of pop culture and how it can impact stigma.  To spur conversation and pique interest in the topic of stigma they rewrote two iconic sitcoms, Friends

For the past several years, the OAN has worked to strengthen its response to people living with HIV in Ontario and to perfect the ways that they are engaged in the work we do.  At last year’s Annual Meeting, our Members and delegates living with HIV told us that we should move forward with the creation of an Advisory Committee of people living with HIV to inform our important work. Since this time, the OAN board has worked to finalize the Committee’s terms or reference (TOR) and met with a working group to give us feedback on the TOR and

ACCHO is proud to be celebrating Black History Month and honoured to be marking African, Caribbean and Black Canadian HIV/AIDS Awareness Day on February 7th, by launching a province-wide campaign – The Care Collective – targeting African, Caribbean and Black (ACB) women with the aim of increasing HIV awareness, promoting HIV testing, and sparking conversations around HIV.  Data shows that more than half of the women testing positive for HIV in Ontario are ACB women, and these numbers are expected to go up.  Although remarkable headway has been made in the fight against HIV, in fact because remarkable headway has been

This Valentine’s Day, the Ontario AIDS Network is thinking of the thousands of women and young women who are living with HIV in our Province. Women living with HIV are among the many courageous and compassionate leaders in our movement and it’s important that we reflect upon their resilience and strength as positive women. To the women who do it all alone To the women who just moved to the country and are without support To the women who numb the pain To the women who just want to be heard To the women who just got dumped To the young

The Positive Leadership Development Institute (PLDI) is seeking passionate, driven and hardworking facilitators who would like to help their peers develop as leaders in Ontario’s HIV sector. We are seeking PLDI graduates who are interested in co-facilitating PLDI core skills, governance and communications sessions with us. We are also seeking people who are inspired and excited by collaboration, engagement, and making new connections with the most incredible people. Does this sound like you? And would you like to join Tara, Martin and Joseph as a member of the team? If so, we would love to hear from you. For more

In 2019, the First Nations Health Directors Association (FNHDA) introduced the Lateral Kindness Gram. The Lateral Kindness Gram is a resource developed by the FNHDA to promote lateral kindness by sending an uplifting message. With the Lateral Kindness Gram you can recognize a client, peer, friend, family member or an acquaintance for their positive attitude at work, their contributions to the team, or the work they do.  Click here to learn more about how this works. To send an uplifting message to someone, please use this link.

Bruce House is conducting a housing needs assessment for people living with HIV/AIDS. They are trying to assess the local need for palliative, transition, and respite housing and interested in knowing how other organizations have gone about this. Please contact their consultant, Natalie Duchesne by e-mail (natalie@connect2knowledge.ca) or phone (613-807-0779) to share your views. Bruce House fait une évaluation des besoins de logement des personnes vivant avec le VIH / sida. Dans le cadre de ce travail, nous essayons d’évaluer le besoin local de logements palliatifs, de transition et de relève. Nous aimerions savoir comment d’autres organismes ont procédé pour

The Toronto Opening Doors Conference will be held  on February 24th and 25th and the theme of the conference is Crossing The Threshold: Emerging Doors to Care.  By the end of the conference, participants will have increased their individual and collective understanding, knowledge and capacity related to connecting and staying connected in care within the context of HIV today, specifically around: Diverse and evolving holistic care and support needs of PHAs today Available resources and referral processes Tools, processes and specific examples of success Please use this link to register for the Opening Doors event.

For the past several years the OAN has worked to strengthen its response to PHAs in Ontario and to perfect the ways that we engage PHAs in the work we do.  At last year’s Annual Meeting, our Members and PHA delegates told us that we should move forward with the creation of an Advisory Committee of people living with HIV to inform our important work. Since this time the OAN board has worked to finalize the Committee’s terms or reference (TOR) and met with a working group of PHAs to give us feedback on the TOR and guidelines for Committee

The OAN is actively recruiting new Board Members! We’re accepting applications for two Director positions. One of these must be from the Eastern Region and both must be people living with HIV. To apply, fill out the form (found here) and email it to governance@oan.red by Friday, January 31, 2020 at 5:00 pm. Following a review of applications, we’ll then arrange interviews with selected candidates in early February. Successful candidates will then be appointed by our Board in February. Thank you for taking the time to help shape the future of our organization.

We are so sad to be saying goodbye to Kim Dolan. Kim has served as Executive Director of PARN for more than 16 years and has played a central role in leading the growth of the agency and HIV programming in her region. Kim has also served on the OAN Board for many years and was Co-Chair between 2005 and 2009. Her contributions to our collective work are numerous and we thank her for her deep committments. Please join us in thanking Kim for her important contributions to Ontario’s HIV sector, the OAN and the lives of people living with

As the overdose crisis impacts communities in Ontario and across Canada, London continues to find creative ways to address these issues. As the first community to open an Overdose Prevention Site in the region, London has gradually transitioned from  providing a temporary solution, to now, providing services 12 hours daily for 365 days each year! Congratulations to Brian Lester and the Regional HIV/AIDS Connections team for their leadership in spearheading such important work.  Please see more details in this Media Release.

ARCH recognizes and affirms all types of love – whether it be self love, platonic love, or romantic love – and wants to encourage people to celebrate themselves, their friends, families, and partners through a gesture that shows how much they care. The Valentine’s Day Online Auction will provide folks the option to bid on items for their loved ones from February 1st to February 7th in time for the holiday. Go here to learn more.

The Positive Leadership Development Institute (PLDI) is very excited to announce that we will be hosting a PLDI Governance training entitled ‘Can you be a Responsible Board Member?’ This will take place in Toronto from Friday, March 20th to Sunday March 22nd, 2020. The goal of this training is to help participants gain confidence in serving on a board, to learn about what governance is and is not, and to talk about the challenges of living with HIV and serving on a board. If you are a graduate of PLDI’s Core Training, you are eligible to attend. Please contact Tara

The OAN is actively recruiting new Board Members! We’re accepting applications for two Director positions. One of these must be from the Northern Region and both must be people living with HIV. To apply, fill out the form (found here) and email it to governance@oan.red by Friday, January 31, 2020 at 5:00 pm. Following a review of applications, we’ll then arrange interviews with selected candidates in early February. Successful candidates will then be appointed by our Board in February. Thank you for taking the time to help shape the future of our organization.

The AIDS Committee of York Region is now known as CAYR COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS with the tag line “People Supporting People” to better reflect the current and expanding services provided by the agency. “Our new name and visual brand more clearly convey both the range of services we offer and the core values underlying our community work,” said Executive Director Vibhuti Mehra. “The new look and feel is also the foundation for our expanding programs and services and a way to reduce barriers for people who access them.” Please see the news release here. Congratulations to the CAYR team on this

In our previous newsletter, we invited your input into the review of the OAN Honour Roll Awards.  We imagine that with the busyness of the holidays, many of you were not able to provide your feedback. In order to allow all voices to be heard, we have extended the deadline. Your feedback will help in developing recommendations on the Award categories, as well as the nomination, application, selection and administration processes. Please contribute to the process by completing this survey which should take approximately 20 minutes of your time. The new closing date is January 17, 2020. Your insights and contributions to

CATIE’s Canada-wide training course on HIV basics will be offered through their blended learning program, which combines a six-week online course with a webinar meeting. CATIE’s HIV Basics course provides foundational knowledge about HIV for frontline service providers. Listed below are the six interactive online lessons and discussion board assignments, which participants work through at their own pace. Week 1: Introduction Week 2: HIV Transmission Week 3: HIV Testing Week 4: HIV Treatment Week 5: Living with HIV Week 6: HIV Prevention The course will start on February 17th, 2020 and concludes with an interactive webinar on March 23, 2020. Registration is required so register now. For

The AIDS Committee of Durham Region (ACDR) proudly presents its biannual learning event, the 2020 ACDR Conference “Linkage to Care”. Over the two days, participants will learn about the work being done at ACDR, new research findings and emerging priorities as well as gain a better understanding of strategies that will better connect vulnerable populations to appropriate access points in Durham Region. Reserve your spot by registering now.  Registration is free for OAN member agencies, using the code ‘OAN’.

Do you know what you need to know about self-testing? The OHTN recently published its Rapid Response findings on HIV self-testing – HIV self-testing in high-income settings: Acceptability, potential benefits and harms, issues related to linkage to care, interventions to increase HIV self-testing. The key take-home messages are: HIV self-testing has the potential to increase rates of HIV testing and is acceptable to a range of populations in a variety of contexts. HIV self-testing is believed to produce public health benefits by increasing the number of people who test, the frequency of testing, the number of people who know their

Since 1996, the Honour Roll Awards celebrate outstanding leadership and achievement within the HIV/AIDS movement in Ontario. Awards acknowledge the long-term contributions of individuals and organizations that use their experiences, skills, resources and voices to champion the cause of HIV/AIDS. The OAN has undertaken a process to review the Awards that includes soliciting input and developing recommendations on the Award categories as well as the nomination, application, selection and administration processes. We invite you to contribute to the process by completing this survey which should take approximately 20 minutes of your time. Please note that the survey closes on January 2,

Two new videos from the GMSH, in both English and in French, to help get the word out about the benefits of HIV treatments to the health of gay men living with HIV and to the prevention of HIV transmission in our communities. U=U: The Bathtub A cute and campy glimpse into how advances in treatments for HIV are changing how we have the sex we want. This video portrays the message of U=U, or undetectable equals untransmittable, and how it is transforming the relationship gay and bisexual men have to HIV, and to each other. I=I: La baignoire Un

Looking back on this year the Positive Leadership Development Institute (PLDI) has a lot to celebrate as we had another successful year and ended it on a positive note. On Thursday December 5, 2019, three HIV positive leaders from Ontario got on a plane to Montreal to join five leaders from British Columbia and six leaders from Quebec to further develop the National PLDI program. Little did these 14 individuals know that they were about to embark on a once in a lifetime opportunity, for not only personal growth, but  for growth as a team of facilitators as well. Connection, patience,

World AIDS Day, held every year on December 1, is an opportunity for Ontario’s HIV sector to unite in our fight against HIV, to show support for people living with HIV, to honour those with HIV who are no longer with us, and to think critically about what still needs to be done to address Ontario’s complex HIV epidemic. Read the Full OAN Message December 1-6 is Aboriginal AIDS Awareness Week (AAAW) in Canada. We acknowledge the contributions of Indigenous communities in ending the HIV epidemic and the impacts of colonization have led to higher rates of HIV in Indigenous communities. There

Is it time for a paradigm shift in HIV prevention and support? CATIE has just produced a great article on status-neutral approaches to HIV related care. A status-neutral approach to HIV care means that all people, regardless of their HIV status, are connected to appropriate and meaningful supports that could include access to HIV treatment, PrEP, social supports and others. It all starts with an HIV test. Any result, positive or negative, kicks off multi-directional engagement with the healthcare system, leading to a common final goal, where HIV is neither acquired nor passed. This model, pioneered in New York City,

Casey House is in the process of developing a trauma-informed care workshop to better serve people living with HIV. Trauma-informed care is a way of interacting with clients that acknowledges the relationship between individuals’ experience of trauma, the potential impact of trauma on relationships (in particular relationships with healthcare and service providers) and the negative health outcomes that can result. Trauma-informed care is recognized as a way of providing safe and sensitive care to marginalized populations by working to create environments of inclusion, assisting healthcare providers to engage with clients in informed ways and ultimately to impact health and support

The Toronto People With AIDS Foundation (PWA) is gearing up for another life-changing bike ride event. The Friends for Life Bike Rally originated in 1999 as a 6-day, 660 km bike ride from Toronto to Montréal. Later,  the Rally introduced a 1-day, 110 km bike ride from Toronto to Port Hope, and 3-Day ride from Kingston to Montréal. Now in its 22nd year, the Rally has engaged over 5,000 participants as cyclists and crew and has raised over $18 million dollars for PWA and its clients. The Rally is the sustaining fundraiser for PWA, supporting its ability to provide critical services

Gilead is now accepting applications for the Getting to Zero HIV Prevention Grants Program. Gilead intends to support the efforts of community‐based organizations, public health or social care institutions or similar umbrella organizations that demonstrate the ability to deliver projects aimed at getting to zero new infections through prevention activities. Gilead will consider applications that reach diverse geographic locations within Canada, Australia and Europe. They welcome proposals which target specific prevention activities aimed at the following hard to reach populations including: ▪ Transgender people ▪ Sex workers ▪ Immigrant and refugee communities ▪ Women ▪ Indigenous Persons ▪ People of colour Prevention activities may

The Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention (ASAAP) celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2019. As they turn toward the next 30 years, they have launched the process for the development of a new strategic plan that will serve as a critical launching point for the next 30 years and beyond. One of their commitments is an emphasis on relationships and at the core of this value is you. ASAAP is seeking key stakeholders to complete a survey that will inform their community work and they would love to engage your voice in this effort. The survey will take approximately 5-7

Do you have questions about the intersections of the criminalization of HIV and advances in treatment, testing and surveillance? If so, you should attend this session in Toronto on November 22nd, 2019 at the 519 Community Centre! Canada and the US are global leaders in advancing HIV treatment and prevention interventions to improve the health outcomes of people living with HIV and reducing transmissions. At the same time, both are known as global leaders for criminalizing people living with HIV for transmission, non-disclosure and exposure. This session will allow dialogue between leading interdisciplinary researchers, experts, and people with lived experience, all working at the

Our amazing staff team is busy planning for the future. We sat together earlier this week to plan our work for the next 18 months and we have some big goals to accomplish. Our new Operational Plan ensures that we have clearly articulated goals for our agency and for our team. There’s so much to look forward to as we plan for PLDI expansion, a refresh of the Honour Roll, the strengthening of our Skills programming and an OAN commitment to structured Reconciliation work. We look forward to supporting our Members and PLDI grads in new and exciting ways. Stay

The Peel Harm Reduction Committee, in collaboration with the Peel Integrated Drug Strategy, is hosting its 7th Annual Drug Awareness Week Forum on November 21, 2019. The Drug Awareness Week forum is a space for productive dialogue to build on successes from previous years and to further engage service providers. This year’s Drug Awareness Week Forum is about developing strategies from an intersectional lens to support people who use drugs. To learn more and to register for this event, please go here.

The OAN will dedicate its next Newsletter to promoting World AIDS Day (WAD) events in Ontario. This is an important moment for the OAN and our members to reflect on the invaluable contributions we make in preserving health, creating community and fighting stigma. If you would like your event posted in our November 22nd newsletter, please provide a paragraph of no more than 4 sentences and any associated graphic you would like posted. Kindly send these to Hope at hramsay@oan.red by Wednesday, November 20th at 5pm.

Are we all on the same page about when a person who is at high risk should get an HIV test? There are new HIV testing recommendations in our province for persons who are at higher risk for contracting the virus. It’s recommended that after a high risk exposure, a first test should be done three (3) weeks after that exposure. At that point the P24 (P24 is a protein on the surface of the HIV virus) antigen test can detect parts of the virus in the blood. There is also some evidence that tells us that point of care tests

The AIDS Committee of Windsor (ACW), the Windsor Essex Community Opioid Substance Strategy, neighbourhood community groups, and the voices of people impacted by substance use are introducing a new travelling community display to officially launch the “Label Me Person” Anti-Stigma Awareness Campaign. The purpose of this campaign is to increase awareness about the opioid crisis through personal narratives of people impacted by substance use. The campaign and display will also provide opportunities for the community to participate in 24 educational workshops addressing topics of harm reduction, opioids and naloxone, and consumption and treatment services. The campaign will look to engage

Regional HIV/AIDS Connection’s (RHAC) annual Red Scarf benefit concert celebrates its fourth year proudly featuring bülow! Join RHAC on Friday, November 22, 2019 for a night louder than stigma as they celebrate, honour and remember those living with, affected by and at-risk for HIV/AIDS in their region. Visit redscarf.ca for tickets and information on their Red Scarf ‘pop-ups’ and support them in raising awareness and ending stigma!

Moyo Health and Community Services and the 2SLGBTQ+ Collaborative of Peel Region would like to take this opportunity to invite you to the Adjust Your Lens 2019 Forum on Monday, November 4, 2019 at William Osler Health System – Peel Memorial Centre for Integrated Health and Wellness, Brampton. Communities and organizations have been collaborating in Peel to stand up for marginalized communities and provide leadership on many social justice issues. In 2017, the 2SLGBTQ+ Collaborative of Peel was formed to address the non-profit sectoral gaps in order to improve inclusion in workplaces and encourage compassionate service provision. Adjust Your Lens Forum is

We’ve asked OAN Board member and Gilbert Centre staff Randy Davis for an update on the Ontario leg of the Slay Stigma Tour. “Never eat shredded wheat? Never eat salty worms? Never ever soggy waffles? Whatever mnemonic device you use for North, East, South and West summarizes the Ontario leg of the POZitivity Campaign’s Slay Stigma Canadian Drag Tour. From getting snowed out of the stop in Sudbury after a Winnipeg storm, this group of six (Trinity, Randy, Garry, Alanna, Jordan & Ken) still managed to fit in 8 Ontario shows as part of the cross country anti-stigma tour. Starting

Make sure your voice is heard in the 2019 federal election on October 21st.  Ontario’s HIV community has an important opportunity to let all candidates, parties and voters know that the response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Canada requires strong federal leadership. Let your vote count for meaningful targets and investments in testing, treatment and a strong and well funded front-line response. We also need federal leadership to address the criminalization of non-disclosure and ensure a safe drug supply. So far, it seems to be a close election with no obvious outcome. This is a perfect opportunity to let your voice be heard

Ontario’s HIV sector continues its conversation about our collective work towards Truth and Reconciliation. The Reconciliation Working Group composing six non-Indigenous AIDS service organizations: AIDS Committee of North Bay and Area, Elevate Northwest Ontario, The Gilbert Centre, the Ontario AIDS Network, Pasan, and Réseau Access Network, with support from Oahas, is working to provide guidance and tools for the sector on how to do the work of reconciliation. It’s the goal of this group to arrive at a consensus on what that work should look like, thus continuing the difficult work of reconciliation with Indigenous people in their communities. The Working

Have you heard about the Slay Stigma Canadian Drag Tour with Trinity K Bonet? The tour is fiercely challenging the stigma surrounding people living with HIV, demanding access to services, testing, and prevention, and educating people on U=U, PrEP and PEP. Go the their website to see if they are coming to a city near you, or for more information. You can get FREE TICKETS by visiting pozitivity.ca/slay-stigma-tour. For any other concerns please feel free to email pozitivity@ccgsd-ccdgs.org or direct message them on their Facebook page.

This week, the Ontario Ministry of Health announced a series of consultations with municipal governments and the public health and emergency health services sectors to strengthen and modernize public health and emergency health services. These consultations are meant to increase the consistency and equity of service delivery across the province and improve clarity and alignment of roles and responsibilities between the province, Public Health Ontario and local public health. This work is also meant to identify innovative practices and improve public health delivery. These consultations may be an important opportunity for people living with HIV and people involved in Ontario’s HIV sector to share their

PLDI is excited to announce a new opportunity for graduates to be trained as facilitators and for these skills to be practiced in our Member agencies.  This pilot project presents a unique opportunity for both PLDI graduates and agencies to build their skills bank while embodying the principles of GIPA/MEPA. More details about  this opportunity can be found here.  We are seeking interested Member agencies to pilot this project with us – if you’d like your agency to be involved reach out to Tara Jewal at tjewal@oan.red before October 21st

The North Eastern Ontario Opening Doors HIV/AIDS Conference will be held on October 23rd and 24th at the Northbury Hotel and Conference Centre in Sudbury.  This event will feature Visioning Health II who will be facilitating a fantastic participatory session. Visioning Health II is a community-based health, culture and gender participatory research project for HIV-Positive Indigenous Women.  Click here for more information and to register. The 27th Annual Eastern Ontario Opening Doors Conference is happening October 23rd to 25th at the Glen House Resort in the beautiful Thousand Islands. It will welcome service providers, students, as well as people living with and affected by HIV to participate

The OAN just successfully concluded its 2019 Annual Meeting.  This was a very successful event which saw record numbers of people in attendance.  The Meeting included three days of important dialogue about our work and how our work will be guided by people living with HIV. The Members’ meeting brought together over 85 persons who were actively engaged in rich discussions about HIV testing, the upcoming federal election and our sector’s Reconciliation work. We also welcomed two new Member agencies to the OAN – welcome to LetsStopAIDS and Women’s Health in Women’s Hands. Our Saturday Annual Meeting brought our 2018-19 fiscal year

On September 19th, 2019 the OAN Board of Directors hosted a very well attended and lively meeting of OAN delegates living with HIV. Delegates were sent by OAN Member agencies to represent their organization at our Member’s and Annual Meeting. It was the best attended meeting in many years. These are the people that one delegate labelled the “superheroes of the HIV movement in Ontario”. This was just one characteristic that those present told us that they were bringing into the meeting.  In all, there were 37 people living with HIV in the room from 27 OAN Member and Affiliate

Ontario votes on October 21st  – make sure your voice is heard in this important election! Ontario’s HIV community has an important opportunity to let all candidates, parties and voters know that the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Canada requires strong federal leadership. We need federal commitments to support the fight against HIV/AIDS in our community and this can only be accomplished by committing to aggressive targets and investments in treatment, testing and a strong front-line response. We also need federal leadership to address the criminalization of non-disclosure, ensure a safe drug supply and a commit to harm reduction. So far, it

The HIV testing landscape is changing quickly. There are many new developments on the horizon in self, venue and home-based testing and one of the most recent is the approval of the INSTI rapid HIV test for expanded use in Canada. With an estimated 14% of people with HIV who do not know that they are living with the virus, the test’s updated Intended Use statement makes it possible for an increased range of healthcare professionals to use INSTI. This includes HIV counsellors and peer testers in more point-of-care (POC) and outreach settings. For more information, please click here. While we

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) has been proven to be highly effective in preventing HIV transmission. When taken regularly and as prescribed, PrEP can provide some peace of mind and takes some of the worry out of sex.  Review the OHTN’s website Ontarioprep.ca for more information. To find a clinic in your area that provides PrEP services, please look here.

Research has been building for years, and several large studies have now confirmed that effective treatment can suppress HIV to the point that it can’t be transmitted through sex. In recognition of this, CATIE recently launched its national Can’t Pass It On campaign. Go here to watch the campaign video or order campaign posters. CATIE and Toronto to Zero would also like to invite you to the Toronto launch of Can’t Pass It On on Thursday, September 26, 2019 from 7-9 pm. Hosted by Darien Taylor,  the launch will welcome special guest Bruce Richman, founder of the Prevention Access Campaign.

Patients living with HIV in Ontario have rights and the Patient Ombudsman’s team will listen and support the resolution of your complaints about negative health experiences. Although the Patient Ombudsman does not have oversight over AIDS Service Organizations, the office can receive complaints about Ontario’s public hospitals, long-term care homes, and home and community care provided by a Local Health Integration Network. If you are living with HIV and have a complaint about your care in these settings – including experiences of HIV related stigma, discrimination or disclosure – you can find out how the Ombudsman can help you here.

The Central Opening Doors Conference is an annual event that brings together people from Simcoe/Muskoka, Peel and York regions to gather and share information that strengthens and updates their knowledge and skills.  This year’s conference is entitled No One Left Behind and draws from the U=U message which confirms that by achieving and maintaining an undetectable viral load, HIV cannot be transmitted sexually.  It will be held on Tuesday, September 24, 2019.  For more details and to register for this conference, please go here.

Trans PULSE Canada is a community-based survey of the health and well-being of trans and non-binary people in Canada. They have extended the closing date of their survey to allow for others to have their voices heard. To participate in the survey, one must be 14 years and older, live in Canada and have a gender identity that differs from the sex you were assigned at birth. Click here to learn more about and participate in the survey before September 30, 2019.

Now more than ever, we are convinced that leadership matters.  It matters in our communities, our homes, our neighbourhoods, our province and in our Member agencies. The OAN is working to make leadership matter and we’ve recently wrapped up our 2019 PLDI training sessions and look forward to 2020. After completing a highly successful PLDI training on communication skills in July, we are now in the process of redesigning our ‘So you want to be a PLDI facilitator?’ training model. We are also working on an online Pre-Governance 101 training for core training graduates who are new to governance. This

The OHTN has just released the 2018 View From the Front Lines Report. The Report provides a detailed look at HIV and HCV services in Ontario. The Report tells us about important trends in Ontario – for instance, did you know that there were 916 new HIV diagnoses in Ontario in 2017 and that one in five of these are women? It also tells us about the value and importance of front-line HIV services and that AIDS service organizations supported more than 5,000 people living with HIV over the year. If you want to better understand the impact of the services

At this year’s Annual Meeting we’ll be presenting an exciting new set of by-laws to our Members. Our old by-laws were often confusing and contradictory, and the OAN Board has drafted a new set that is written in clear and concise language. The new by-law also ensures that our Annual Meeting runs smoothly and includes a number of important revisions that deepen our commitments to GIPA and regional representation. For those that were unable to attend our recent webinar on these changes click here to look at the presentation. If you’ve not already done so, please register for this year’s

Not that we’re anti-Spam® but … the OCHART team would like to make sure you are getting e-mails from both the OCHART team and the OHTN! Spam filters are great and prevent junk mail from filling up your inbox – but sometimes they filter out important emails. The OCHART team has noticed that quite a few agencies are not receiving their e-mails and they would like you to check in with your IT folks to ensure that @ochart.on.ca and @ohtn.on.ca are on your safe senders list.  This will ensure that you will get all of their communications! If you have

Do you know what you need to know about trends in HIV diagnoses in Ontario? Check out the Ontario HIV Epidemiology and Surveillance Initiative’s (OHESI) new report titled “New HIV diagnoses in Ontario, 2017”. The report describes, updates and expands on the trends in HIV diagnoses in Ontario over the past decade (2008-2017) with a focus on new HIV diagnoses in 2017. It presents information by sex, age, race/ethnicity, geographic location and priority populations who are at higher risk for HIV. The report also indicates that there were 916 new HIV diagnoses in 2017 and that new diagnoses have increased

If you’ve not already done so, please register for this year’s Annual Meeting. (The registration link has already been emailed to Executive Directors to be shared with their delegates) This year’s Annual Meeting will include several  opportunities to engage with the OAN. We’d especially like to remind you about the meeting of delegates who are living with HIV. We have a number of important updates for delegates at this meeting and look forward to sharing a new model for engaging leaders in our sector who are living with HIV. This includes the establishment of a new Advisory Committee of People

On August 12, the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister of Seniors,  announced more than $3 million in new funding through the New Horizons for Seniors Program to support the Gilbert Centre to reduce discrimination and increase social inclusion of LGBTQ2 seniors in Central and Northeastern Ontario. Check out the announcement here. Over the next five years, the Gilbert Centre will work with the AIDS Committee of North Bay & Area and Reseau Access Network to develop coping strategies, engage LGBTQ2 seniors, help them develop strong social networks in their community and provide them with access to appropriate LGBTQ2-friendly services and support.

The OAN is excited to announce that following a recruitment process that saw more than 25 applicants and interviewed four highly qualified folks, we’ve hired Hope Ramsay as our new Manager of Communications and Member Development.  Hope brings a depth of experience in our sector and has held positions at Black CAP and the OHTN; she is also a nurse and has served in HIV-related clinical roles in the Caribbean throughout the 1990s. Most recently, Hope was the Manager of Prevention Programs at 360 Kids. She also brings significant experience as a professor, trainer and adult educator in a range of settings. As Ryan Kerr’s last

Registration for this year’s Annual Meetng is now open! (The registration link has already been emailed to Executive Directors to be shared with their delegates) This year’s Annual Meeting will consist of: HIV+ Delegate’s Meeting – Thursday, September 19th from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm OAN Member’s Meeting – Friday, September 20th from 9:00 am – 4:30 pm OAN Annual Meeting – Saturday, September 21st from 9:30 am – 3:00 pm Each Regular Member of the OAN is invited to register one Voting Representative and up to two non-voting representatives. Each Affiliate Member is also invited to bring up to

Ontario’s HIV sector is having a conversation about our collective work towards Truth and Reconciliation. Since late-2018, the Reconciliation Working Group has worked to provide guidance and tools for the sector (essentially, all OAN members) on how to do ’the work of reconciliation’, including providing tools and to lead the sector through a process of consensus on what that work should look like. The Reconciliation Working Group is composed of Oahas and six non-Indigenous AIDS service organizations: AIDS Committee of North Bay and Area, Elevate Northwest Ontario, The Gilbert Centre, the Ontario AIDS Network, Pasan, and Réseau Access Network.  Its

Friends, family, community members, and loved ones are invited to join together in memory of Ruthann Tucker on Thursday, August 15th at the Tony Di Pede Residence, in Toronto. Ruthann dedicated her life to HIV/AIDS communities, working at the AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT), AIDS Vancouver Island, Fife House, the Ontario HIV Treatment Network (OHTN), and The Hamilton AIDS Network. Ruthann’s vision, drive and passion led to Fife House’s largest expansion of housing and support services. The Tony Di Pede Residence / Wellesley Central Residence is the culmination of her incredible work, and provides 112 units of supportive housing, as

Nominations for HALCO’s 2019 Kreppner Awards are now being accepted. The Kreppner Awards were established by HALCO in honour of the late James Kreppner and recognize people who have made significant contributions in advocacy for and support of people living with HIV or people living with HIV and Hepatitis C in Ontario. Know a good candidate? For more information, click here. Nominations must be received by Friday September 27, 2018.

The Public Health Agency of Canada is inviting participation in two initiatives, in both official languages! (Version française à suivre) Invitation to Submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) – Supporting Pathways to Care for People Who use Drugs. The application package for the first stage must be submitted before 11:59pm ET, August 30, 2019. Call for Proposals – Substance Use and Addictions Program. The deadline for submission is Thursday, September 26, 2019, at 1:00 pm Eastern Time. Français ASPC Invitation à présenter une lettre d’intention (LI) – Favoriser les voies d’accès aux soins des personnes qui consomment des drogues. La trousse de demande dans

The OAN is actively recruiting new board members! We’re is accepting applications for two Director positions. To apply, fill out the form and email it to governance@oan.red by Tuesday, August 13, 2019 at 5:00 pm.  Following a review of applications, we’ll then arrange interviews with candidates in late-August. Successful nominees will then be presented at our Annual Meeting on September 21, 2019 for election. Thank you for taking the time to help shape our organization!

A few months ago, we let our Membership know that our contract with AKA Raisin was terminating this August. As we approach the August 2nd deadline, we thought we’d send a final reminder. According to our account representative, Shannon Reid, there are a few live events that still need to be closed. To close out your account, follow these simple steps: Cancel any reoccurring donations End all live events Export all desired data Please reach out to AKA Raisin’s Shannon Reid directly if you have any further questions!

The CruiseLab at U of T is hosting a conversation in Toronto on successful aging with HIV in Ontario, and what it means to become a poz daddy, with Dr. David Brennan! Wednesday, July 31, 2019 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm TRANZAC Club 292 Brunswick Ave, Toronto (in between Spadina and Bathurst subway stations) This is a FREE event with food and drinks. However, space is limited so attendees much register for a free ticket to attend. For more information, contact james.tavares@mail.utoronto.ca

The Gilbert Centre is looking for agencies to partner with to train and facilitate the Positive Self-Management Program (PSMP) at their locations. The Positive Self-Management Program (PSMP) is an interactive six-week program for people living with HIV. Program participants and peer leaders meet once a week for 2.5 hours covering topics such as medication adherence, managing fatigue, relaxation, self-advocacy, working with healthcare professionals and communication skills. In 2016/17, the Gilbert Centre for Social and Support Services (Gilbert Centre) received a five-year Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) grant to deliver the Positive Self-Management Program. This grant allows the Gilbert Centre