Sudbury marks Overdose Awareness Week with a silent stand

Under overcast skies, a line of individuals stood in solemn silence along Paris Street in Greater Sudbury, Ont., the morning of August 25, 2025, their presence a powerful visual statement against the drug toxicity crisis. (Madison Marier/CTV News Northern Ontario)

Under overcast skies, a line of individuals stood in solemn silence along Paris Street Monday morning, their presence a powerful visual statement against the drug toxicity crisis. The silent stand, organized in front of the Crosses for Change memorial, marked the beginning of a week of events leading to International Overdose Awareness Day on Aug. 31.

The gathering united representatives from approximately 13 local health and support service agencies, alongside individuals with lived experience, those supporting loved ones with addiction and community members who have suffered loss.

A unified call for compassion and change

Mark Dennie, the executive director at the Samaritan Center, articulated the collective mission of the participating organizations.

“To create awareness, to raise compassion, to be able to show hope for people that there are ways to stop drug overdose,” he said. “We decided to stand together this morning to launch the week for each organization.”

The event serves as a prelude to a series of community activities designed to educate the public and combat the stigma surrounding substance use. Organizers emphasized the critical need for community-wide involvement in addressing what they describe as a pervasive crisis.

Personal loss fuels advocacy

For many participants, the stand was deeply personal.

Berchmans Keaney of Monarch Day Treatment shared a harrowing perspective, highlighting the human toll of the toxic drug supply.

“I’ve we’ve lost people. We’re losing people’s… I was almost one of those white crosses, and I got family in there, too,” he said. “I’m here because something needs to change.”

This sentiment was echoed by Kathryn Schwedhelm, a manager at Recovery North, who framed the crisis in the starkest terms.

“The end goal is to stop overdose… I’d have to say it’s a pandemic now, not an epidemic. It’s a pandemic,” she said.

A foundation for future action

Despite the somber reason for gathering, organizers expressed hope that the event signifies the beginning of sustained and growing community action. Schwedhelm viewed the stand as a foundational moment.

“I think this is the start to something real beautiful,” she said. “Hopefully, we’ll see more people gathering here next year and do something bigger and better for the community.”

Schwedhelm also noted the disproportionate impact on the city, adding “Sudbury is one of the cities in the north that has lost the most loved ones of all.”

A community’s role in saving lives

The overarching message from organizers is that resolving the crisis requires a collective effort. They extended an invitation for the public to attend events throughout the week to learn more about the epidemic and how awareness can directly save lives.

Schwedhelm concluded the event with a reaffirmation of community power, a theme central to the week’s message.

“It takes the community to save the community and I say that all the time,” she said. “So, this is just proof. Proof right here is that the community does want to save their community.”