Developed in collaboration with CHHSA (The Cumberland Homelessness and Housing Support Association), the guide reflects our belief that information should be accessible, especially when lives are at stake.

This Narcan Training Comic is intended to be universal. No reading level required. No language barrier. Just images that teach you how to save a life.

People who use drugs reverse more opioid overdoses than first responders in Canada. They are often the first on scene, and the last to leave. Housing-first programs like CHHSA’s reduce overdose risk dramatically, by offering safety, and a foundation for recovery.

CHHSA is not just a shelter. We are a low-barrier, trauma-informed, harm reduction-driven organization. From naloxone distribution and outreach to long-term supportive housing and warm meals, we operate across the continuum of care. This guide is a reflection of our values: dignity, practicality, and hope.

A Few Stats sourced from Health Canada, the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, and Harm Reduction Journal:

• Peer responders reverse 2–3 times more overdoses than first responders in many Canadian jurisdictions.

• A Housing First approach reduces overdose deaths and hospitalization by up to 88% in some studies.

• Communities with low-barrier harm reduction sites see lower emergency room visits, lower public drug use, and increased uptake of health services.

• Nova Scotia’s Northern Zone, where CHHSA operates, has among the highest overdose rates in Atlantic Canada.

By Ashley Legere