2013–14 Departmental Performance Report
Supplementary Information Tables

Horizontal Initiatives

Name of Horizontal Initiative:

National Anti-Drug Strategy

Name of lead department:

Department of Justice Canada

Lead department program activity:

Stewardship of the Canadian Legal Framework

Start date of the Horizontal Initiative:

2012–13

End date of the Horizontal Initiative:

2016-17 and Ongoing

Total federal funding allocation (start to end date):

$567.7M

Description of the Horizontal Initiative (including funding agreement):

The National Anti-Drug Strategy (NADS) was launched by the Government of Canada in 2007, with a clear focus on illicit drugs and a particular emphasis on youth. Its goal is to contribute to safer and healthier communities through coordinated efforts to prevent use, treat dependency and reduce production and distribution of illicit drugs. It encompasses three action plans: prevention, treatment and enforcement. The Government, in its 2013 Speech from the Throne, committed to expanding the NADS to address the growing problem of prescription drug abuse.

The Prevention Action Plan supports efforts to prevent youth from using illicit drugs by enhancing their awareness and understanding of the harmful social and health effects of illicit drug use, and to develop and implement community-based interventions and initiatives to prevent illicit drug use. The Treatment Action Plan supports effective treatment and rehabilitation systems and services by developing and implementing innovative and collaborative approaches. The Enforcement Action Plan aims to contribute to the disruption of illicit drug operations in a safe manner, particularly targeting criminal organizations.

Shared outcomes:

• Reduced demand for illicit drugs in targeted populations and areas;
• Reduced impacts of illicit drug use through prevention and treatment efforts; and
• Reduced supply of illicit drugs.

Governance structure:

The governance structure of the Strategy consists of an Assistant Deputy Minister Steering Committee (ADMSC) and Director General level working groups on policy and performance, prevention and treatment, enforcement, and communications. The governance structure is supported by the Youth Justice and Strategic Initiatives Section of the Department of Justice Canada.

The ADMSC which is chaired by the Department of Justice Canada, oversees the implementation of the Strategy, making decisions necessary to advance the initiative, where required, and ensuring appropriate and timely outcomes for the initiative and accountability in the expenditure of initiative resources. The ADMSC prepares questions and makes recommendations for the consideration of Deputy Ministers, where appropriate.

The Prevention and Treatment Working Group, chaired by Health Canada, oversees the implementation of the Prevention Action Plan and Treatment Action Plans, as well as the work of a Prevention and Treatment Sub-Working Group. The Enforcement Working Group, chaired by the Department of Public Safety Canada, oversees the implementation of the Enforcement Action Plan. The Policy and Performance Working Group, chaired by the Department of Justice Canada, oversees policy directions and outcomes for the Strategy and the work of the Sub-Committee on Evaluation and Reporting. The Communications Working Group, chaired by the Department of Justice Canada, oversees communication of the Strategy, which includes making the decisions necessary to advance communication of the initiative to the public and stakeholder groups and ensuring coordination of such communications. It also oversees the work of a Communications Sub-Working Group.

Performance highlights:

In 2013–14, the 12 federal partner departments and agencies involved in the Strategy continued their work to contribute to safer and healthier communities through coordinated efforts to prevent illicit drug use, treat dependency, and reduce the production and distribution of illicit drugs.

Partners continued with implementation of the "Management Response and Action Plan to the 2012 Impact Evaluation of the Strategy". The main areas of focus have included strengthening the governance of the Strategy, enhancing communication and knowledge-sharing activities, and improving the Strategy's monitoring and evaluation activities.

Partners have also held collaborative discussions relevant to domestic policy issues, such as prescription drug abuse, and have contributed to international policy and operational discussions through the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) of the Organization for American States (OAS), and the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs.

As a result of the Government's commitment in the 2013 Speech from the Throne, the NADS has been expanded to address the growing problem of prescription drug abuse.

The following tables present the performance results for each federal partner's program activities:

Federal Partner: Department of Justice Canada

Note: Amounts include Employee Benefit Plan premiums and exclude Accommodation premiums.

Expected Results for 2013–2014:

Link 1

Reduced drug substances relapse among drug treatment court clients.

Link 2

• To work collaboratively with interested provinces and territories as well as other stakeholders in order to identify gaps in drug treatment programs for youth in the justice system;
• To introduce, pilot and evaluate a number of drug treatment options for youth involved in the youth justice system in communities; and,
• To share knowledge of the piloted drug treatment programs and promising practices with provinces and territories as well as other interested stakeholders.

Immediate Outcomes:

• Projects on Treatment Services and Program Enhancements; and,
• Enhanced capacity to plan/deliver a range of treatment services and programs to targeted populations.

Intermediate Outcomes:

• Increased availability of, and access to, effective treatment services and programs for targeted populations in areas of need; and,
• Improved treatment systems, programs and services to address illicit drug dependency in targeted populations in areas of need.

Link 3

Effective leadership of the federal response to concerns around illicit drug prevention, treatment and enforcement through:

• Exercising overarching responsibility for policy and coordination;
• Maintaining the Strategy's governance structure;
• Leading and coordinating all NADS communications activities; and,
• Taking lead responsibility for accountability, evaluation and performance reporting.

Link 4

Support the work of Justice programs by providing key corporate services.

Results Achieved in 2013–2014:

Link 1

Drug Treatment Court (DTC) pilot sites contribute to a reduction in criminal recidivism as well as a reduction in illicit drug use while in the program. Data collected through the Drug Treatment Court Information System show that drug treatment court clients have clean urine screen tests (i.e., no illicit drug use) 55% of the time that they were in the program.

Link 2

In 2013–14, the Youth Justice Fund committed support to 23 projects to enhance capacity to plan/deliver a range of drug treatment services and programs targeted at young people in conflict with the law. Eleven pilot projects were approved or ongoing in 2013–14; two of these pilot projects were co-funded through the Guns, Gangs and Drugs component and the Drug Treatment component of the Youth Justice Fund as they had an emphasis on youth affected by both these issues. Six projects resulting from the 2012–2013 call for proposals were funded in fiscal year 2013–14 due to lack of funding availability last fiscal year. These projects provided training for frontline workers or community assessments to increase the effectiveness of efforts to address substance abuse by youth involved in the youth criminal justice system. Two research projects focused on best practices and potential interventions for youth with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder or other cognitive impairments, who also struggle with substance abuse. There were also two projects with provinces which focused on training for frontline staff. The total value of projects with a focus on drug treatment for 2013–14 was $79,308 in grants and $1,265,454 in contributions.

Link 3

Effective coordination of the federal response to prevent use, treat dependency and reduce production and distribution of illicit drugs through:

• Exercising overarching responsibility for policy and coordination;
• Organizing senior-level committee meetings to discuss future activities, policy, communications, and evaluation and performance reporting;
• Coordinating NADS communication activities, including making greater use of social media, revamping the Strategy Website and developing a Communications strategy;
• Taking lead responsibility for performance reporting, including working with partner departments to further develop a Performance Measurement Strategy for the current five-year reporting cycle;
• Leading implementation of the "Management Response and Action Plan to the 2012 Impact Evaluation of the Strategy"; and,
• Participating in domestic and international drug policy discussions with partner departments.

Link 4

Provision of corporate services in support of Justice programs.

Federal Partner: Health Canada

Note: Amounts include Employee Benefit Plan and Accommodation premiums.

Expected Results for 2013–2014:

Link 1

Enhanced capacity among targeted populations to make informed decisions about illicit drug use; strengthened community responses to illicit drug issues in targeted areas.

Link 2

Improved treatment systems, programs and services to address illicit drug dependency in targeted populations in areas of need.

Link 3

First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB) plans to increase the availability of, and access to, effective treatment services and programs for First Nations and Inuit populations in areas of need. The progress of this plan will be measured by the nature of new or enhanced services that have been made available through funding in targeted areas and are based on research or best practices. FNIHB also plans to improve treatment systems, programs and services to address illicit drug dependency in First Nations and Inuit populations in areas of need. The progress of this plan will be measured by:

• the proportion of treatment facilities accredited;
• the proportion of addictions counsellors in treatment centres who are certified;
• the changes in stakeholder perceptions regarding the extent to which treatment services have been improved in Strategy-supported investment areas; and
• the types of collaborative/partnerships with Aboriginal organizations to strengthen systems, programs and services.

Link 4

The Office of Controlled Substances (OCS) plans to continue its efforts to streamline and increase the transparency of its processes to authorize and issue licences, permits, registrations and authorizations to perform legitimate activities with controlled substances, precursor chemicals and industrial hemp. OCS will also continue to work with partners and regulated parties to reduce the risk of diversion of controlled substances and precursor chemicals by promoting and monitoring compliance with the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and its regulations.

Link 5

The Drug Analysis Service (DAS) plans to increase capacity to gather, analyze/share intelligence and analyze evidence related to clandestine laboratories and drug analyses; increase awareness of illicit drug and precursor chemical issues for enforcement officials; increase safety in dismantling illicit drug operations; and reduce supply of illicit drugs. The success and progress of this plan will be measured by: the number and nature of clandestine laboratories investigated; the level of awareness of the dangers and safety precautions necessary to safely dismantle illegal drug operations; the number and nature of injuries to law enforcement officers/other first responders and the level of additional risk to the environment during the investigation and dismantling of illegal drug operations; the average time to respond to analyses requests and the number and nature of drug exhibits analyzed; and the perceptions of stakeholders regarding the benefit and timeliness of DAS contributions to court/police responses.

Results Achieved in 2013–2014:

Link 1

A review of project evaluation reports funded primarily through the 2009 call for proposals showed that the Drug Strategy Communities Initiatives Fund (DSCIF) has had success in reaching its target population of youth and their intermediaries. Approximately 91,500 youth, 6,900 parents and 1,500 workers/schools were reached through interventions, workshops and services. A program-level cluster evaluation that used standardized questionnaires to measure outcomes across projects showed that DSCIF had success in achieving its outcomes. Key findings include:

• Statistically significant change from pre and post-test on areas related to youth awareness of healthy lifestyle choices and of illicit drugs and their negative consequences;
• 83% of 20 projects reported that their project resulted in an increase in participants' level of skills – coping, avoidance and resistance;
• 90.5% of 19 projects reported that their project resulted in an increase in participants' level of resilience;
• Statistically significant changes from pre to post-test were found with respect to intention to try or use regularly both marihuana and other illicit drugs including a 3.9% increase in youth who believed they were unlikely or very unlikely to try marihuana in the next 12 months and an 8.3% increase in youth who believed it was unlikely or very unlikely they would regularly use marihuana;
• 96.7% of projects focused on community engagement reported positive findings with respect to engagement of existing community structures and 100% of projects reported positive findings with respect to the engagement of new community structures;
• Statistically significant improvements were found from pre to post-test on nine domains of community capacity (participation; leadership; community structures; role of external supports; asking why; resource mobilization; skills, knowledge and learning; links with others; and sense of community); and
• At baseline, the majority of projects were in the developmental stages of linking with and creating new community structures. At project end, all of the projects had developed links with pre-existing community structures, and seven of the projects had resulted in the creation of new structures, such as new advisory committees and new youth groups.

Based on this evidence, it can be concluded that DSCIF was successful in enhancing capacity among targeted populations to make informed decisions about illicit drug use and strengthening community responses to illicit drug issues in targeted areas.

Link 2

Over their five-year funding period, systems and services projects reported training over 8,135 people and reaching over 27,811 individuals through knowledge exchange mechanisms. Additionally, over 20,700 youth were provided with treatment services/programs. An analysis of project evaluation reports conducted in fall 2013 demonstrated that the Drug Treatment Funding Program (DTFP) made progress towards achieving its outcomes. Key findings include:

• Prior to DTFP, many provinces and territories reported working in silos where collaboration with other sectors or regions was not a priority. DTFP helped establish the conditions necessary to support collaboration, such as the establishment of working groups and networking opportunities and program reviews;
• The development of products, such as standards and guidelines resulting from these collaborations, have helped improve the consistency of services across some provinces and territories by helping to ensure that if a client receives treatment in one region and moves to another, or starts dealing with a new staff member, the treatment remains similar;
• Capacity to deliver evidence-informed treatment programs and services was also reported as a result of increased numbers of staff, provision of training to staff, increased knowledge levels and confidence to deliver services and overall improvements to the types of services being offered. These capacity enhancements helped lead to increased availability/access to evidence-informed treatment services and supports through expanded hours and scope of treatment services and reduced barriers to accessing services;
• Access to evidence-informed practice information improved as a result of training, the work of knowledge exchange facilitators and the creation of other knowledge exchange mechanisms;
• Capacity to evaluate substance abuse treatment systems' performance was improved including the increased use and reporting against national treatment indicators across jurisdictions;
• DTFP projects are reporting a paradigm shift in some jurisdictions where there is now more value and use of evidence-based information, resulting in more systematic training of staff, increased awareness of staff and management of best practices and the need for performance measurement and more accessible data.

Based on this evidence, it can be concluded that DTFP has contributed to an improvement to treatment systems, programs and services to address illicit drug dependency in targeted populations in areas of need.

Link 3

• Since 2007, 36 treatment centres have re-oriented or re-profiled their services to more effectively meet community needs (such as services for women, youth, or people with co-occurring mental health issues or prescription drug abuse issues).
• The number of accredited treatment centres continues to increase. In 2013–14, 84% of treatment centres were accredited, up from 68% in 2010.
• In 2013–14, the percentage of full-time addiction treatment centre counsellors was 79% (as of March 2014), up from 68% in 2010-11. Likewise, the overall number of certified addiction workers increased to 515 in 2013–14, up from 358 in 2009-10. **(Note: Figures are down from 2012–13 due to QC region changing the way they pay for certification).

Results achieved in 2013–14 include British Columbia (BC) figures. The BC Tripartite Initiative was officially in place in October 2013 but BC results were included for the entire fiscal year. Consequently, some results achieved next fiscal year (2014-15) will reflect the removal of the BC region which may change the baseline/target.

Link 4

Compliance and Enforcement Activities

The Office of Controlled Substances (OCS) receives funding for compliance and enforcement activities. In 2013–14, OCS issued:

• 292 licences for controlled drugs;
• 340 licences for precursor chemicals (Class A);
• 127 registrations for precursor chemicals (Class B);
• 6105 import and export permits for controlled drugs; and,
• 891 import and export permits for precursor chemicals.

In addition, OCS also issued 2,096 scientific exemptions, received 2,110 loss and theft reports, and processed 46,572 requests for authorization to destroy seized controlled substances.

OCS continued to improve the internal procedures used in processing precursor licence and permit applications. This included reviewing and streamlining guidance provided to regulated parties involved in carrying out activities with precursor chemicals. In addition, for Fiscal Year 2013–14, as part of the Federal Government Initiative on Service Standards for High-Volume Regulatory Authorizations, OCS published in November 2013, on Health Canada's Website, its new service standard for the issuance of new Class A precursor licence and new Class B precursor registration. As part of the same initiative, in March 2014, OCS published its new service standard for the issuance of import and export permits to Class A precursors licensees and export permits to Class B precursors registrants.

OCS also continued to review and streamline guidance provided to law enforcement regarding the application for authorization to dispose of seized controlled substances. The continuous improvement of internal procedures requires internal consultations as well as coordination with external stakeholders.

The Regions and Programs Bureau (RAPB) implemented a new risk-based model for its compliance and enforcement activities, with a view to improving the ability to target its activities to the regulated parties that pose the highest risk. The new risk-based model was developed by OCS and RAPB. Inspectors located in four regional offices carried out 147 inspections of licensed dealers for controlled drugs and 71 inspections of licensed dealers for precursor chemicals. This risk-based model is adapted as the risk profile of the industry changes or that of regulated parties. This requires internal consultations as well as coordination with external stakeholders.

Link 5

The Drug Analysis Service (DAS) was able to report against all indicators. The results of 112,693 exhibits analyzed were returned to the clients within an average of 30 days (DAS service standard is 60 days) and zero complaints were received from clients of court cases lost because of lack of results. DAS contributed to increased safety in dismantling illicit drug operations by its involvement in 34 clandestine laboratories cases, including the dismantlement for 20 of them. DAS also provided training on the identification and safe handling of controlled substances to law enforcement officers and first respondents by delivering 43 training sessions to 950 participants. The extent to which operations have been safely dismantled was assessed by tracking the number and nature of injuries and/or environmental risk caused by unsafe handling of chemicals. No injuries were reported in 2013–2014 for clandestine laboratories where DAS provided assistance and no incidents associated with dismantlement that would have had an environmental impact were reported to DAS.

Federal Partner: Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Note: Amounts exclude Employee Benefit Plan and Accommodation premiums.

Expected Results for 2013–14:

Link 1

Continue to improve the state of knowledge and its translation with respect to treatment and understanding of the consequences of illicit drug use.

In 2013–2014, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) will be launching a team grant competition to support the development of a Canadian Research Initiative in Addiction. The goal of this initiative is to foster Canadian cross-pillar research dedicated to the refinement, validation and implementation of existing and proposed programs and interventions in addiction.

The objectives of this initiative are:

1. To further our knowledge of the most appropriate clinical and community based options;
2. To develop a strong researcher-health provider collaboration in the area of addiction research;
3. To develop bio-social research approaches to addressing addiction as a complex health problem; and,
4. To translate this knowledge into improved interventions and care for Canadians at risk for, or living with, addiction.

With this initiative, we will be bringing biological and social perspectives together to ensure the best approaches for the treatment of addiction are developed and implemented.

A fourth workshop for CIHR activities under NADS will be held at the end of 2013–2014. CIHR will be inviting the successful grantees, representatives of federal departments, provincial agencies, and non-governmental organizations. This meeting will provide a forum for the grantees to interact amongst themselves and with partners in the early stages of the development of this new initiative.

Results Achieved in 2013–14:

Link 1

In 2013–14, CIHR continued to improve the state of knowledge and its translation with respect to treatment and understanding of the consequences of illicit drug use by funding the last year of the three team grants. The results accomplished by the three team grants include:

• Addressing prescription opioid abuse in Canada;
• Conducting research to identify individuals at risk of recidivism for driving while impaired; and
• Collaborating with service providers to develop specific modules for interventions in primary health settings.

CIHR initiated the collection of publications and reports from the first five years of NADS funding (a total of 18 grants) to produce a draft report highlighting the activities since the inception of the NADS. CIHR is expecting the final reports from the three team grants in 2014-15 and will be able to complete the CIHR-NADS report in 2014-15.

As part of the initial phase for the Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse (CRISM), CIHR launched a development grant competition and funded 10 teams of researchers, service providers and representatives of people living with substance misuse.

CHIR held a workshop with the members of the 10 teams in March 2014. The objectives of the workshop were to:

• Clarify CIHR expectations regarding the CRISM network of node grants and its infrastructure;
• Develop three or four vertical research nodes aligned with provincial/territorial health systems;
• Review potential options for the governance and structure of the network; and,
• Continue to build and strengthen relationships among network members through a collaborative approach to study design and implementation.

The funding opportunity for the node grant competition, the next phase of the CRISM initiative, was developed. The objective of this opportunity is to establish four large integrated teams of academic researchers and service providers to address relevant research questions related to substance misuse, including identifying the most appropriate clinical and community-based treatment options, developing strong researcher-health provider collaboration, and translating knowledge into improved interventions and care for people with substance misuse issues. The March 2014 workshop allowed the 10 teams to determine common objectives and structure. CIHR expects these teams will collaborate, resulting in fewer teams applying for the node grant funding opportunity.

Federal Partner: Department of Public Safety Canada

Note: Amounts include Employee Benefit Plan and Accommodation premiums.

Expected Results for 2013–14:

Link 1

Safer communities and more effective policing through strategic national law enforcement policies.

Link 2

Support the work of the program by providing key corporate services.

Results Achieved in 2013–14:

Link 1

In 2013–14, Public Safety (PS) indirectly contributed to increased capacity for drug enforcement and prosecution of illicit drug producers and distributors through the coordination of the Enforcement Action Plan Working Group, participation in the Synthetic Drug Initiative Working Group, and participation in the National Council Against Marihuana Grow Operations and Clandestine Labs. PS has worked with the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA) and continues to co-chair the Implementation Team for the Enforcement Pillar of the CCSA-led strategy "First Do No Harm: Responding to Canada's Prescription Drug Crisis". Further responding to the problem of prescription drugs in Canada, PS worked with the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) and Health Canada to implement Canada's first National Prescription Drug Drop-Off Day in May 2013 and to plan for the second such day in May 2014. PS also worked with Health Canada to prepare for the transition between the Medical Marihuana Access Regulations and the Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations.

Through the coordination of the Enforcement Action Plan Working Group led by PS, Strategy partners have had an opportunity to share concerns and update on activities to increase knowledge among partners, which enhances efforts to reduce the supply of illicit drugs. In addition, PS has provided input and participated in domestic and international fora including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD), as well as other bilateral meetings related to common security issues (e.g., Canada-U.S.).

Link 2

Provision of corporate services in support of Public Safety programs.

Federal Partner: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Note: Amounts include Employee Benefit Plan premiums and exclude Accommodation premiums of $0.5M ongoing.

Expected Results for 2013–14:

Link 1

In 2013–14 the RCMP, through partnerships with internal and external departments, will increase the awareness of organized crime and the nature, extent and consequences of substance use/abuse among youth, professionals and the general public.

Link 2

In 2013–14 the RCMP will increase enforcement efforts abroad to interdict drugs and precursors destined for Canada and in turn disrupt the organized criminal networks behind these illegal enterprises.

Results Achieved in 2013–14:

Link 1

Throughout 2013–14, the RCMP Drugs and Organized Crime Awareness Service (DOCAS) provided awareness presentations, programs and other prevention initiatives, reaching out to youth, parents, and professionals including teachers, community members and other internal and external RCMP partners. Initiatives, such as Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.), Aboriginal Shield Program (ASP), Racing Against Drugs (RAD), and Kids & Drugs (K&D), are aimed at youth to raise their awareness of illicit drugs and the associated negative consequences and are constantly updated to ensure the inclusion of accurate, up-to-date drug information and geographic and cultural appropriateness.

Key Programs include:

• Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) is a comprehensive drug education/prevention program (each D.A.R.E. class consists of 10 lessons) designed to equip students from kindergarten to grade 12 with the skills to recognize and resist pressures of experimenting with drugs, among other risky behaviours. In 2013–14, the program experienced resurgence in training with the evidence supported "keepin' it REAL" Certification D.A.R.E. training (based on research at Penn State University). This new certification has been delivered to regular members throughout the Divisions and is ongoing to get all those involved in the delivery of the program up to the new standard. Overall, approximately 415 D.A.R.E. sessions were delivered nation-wide in 2013–14. Of particular note, the D.A.R.E. "keepin' it REAL" curriculum was delivered to over 10,000 youth in B.C., by approximately 200 retrained D.A.R.E. Officers. In addition, some communities in Alberta reintroduced the initiative in all schools after an extended period of no programming.
• Aboriginal Shield Program (ASP) was created to enable Aboriginal youth to make informed healthy lifestyle choices regarding alcohol, drugs and youth gangs and to propose positive alternatives to these destructive lifestyles. The program consists of two multi-lesson instructional manuals intended for youth in grades 5/6 and 7/8. The ASP was recently updated and a train-the-trainer program was introduced. In 2013–14, a total of 144 sessions were provided and 25 law enforcement personnel from across the country were trained in the train-the-trainer program. In addition, three Community Facilitator (local community trainer) courses were conducted by ASP trainers, two in "D" Division (Manitoba) and one in "C" Division (Quebec) reaching several First Nations in the area.
• Organized Crime (OC) Presentations involve the partnering of the RCMP with schools, community groups, NGOs, other federal, provincial and territorial agencies, and industry to share knowledge, awareness and other information about the harm that activity with illicit substances can cause, including association with organized crime. In 2013–14, a total of 618 presentations were delivered both in "O" Division (Ontario) (570) and "D" Division (Manitoba) (48) reaching approximately 20,000 and 1,105 participants respectively.
• Kids and Drugs (K&D) is an education prevention program aimed at parents of school-aged children. This program is designed to educate and assist parents who are concerned about preventing their children from using drugs. In 2013–14, "C" Division (Quebec) reported that provincial and municipal partners were routinely supplied with the K&D materials, where the message was delivered in both official languages throughout the province.
• Racing Against Drugs (RAD) is a program designed to promote healthy, drug-free lifestyles aimed at youth in grades 5/6 in Ontario. This is a key target age given the age associated with early onset of drug use. In 2013–14, more than 9,863 students from more than 100 schools in 12 communities participated in the program. In addition, the Simcoe-Muskoka District Health Unit purchased its own equipment and now mirrors this initiative with its own Respect, Action, Courage, Excellence (R.A.C.E) Against Drugs program expanding and enhancing the potential impact of the RAD program. In Durham region, the 100,000th student completed the RAD program, which has now been running for 17 years.
• Drug Endangered Children (DEC) is an early intervention initiative, which seeks to stop the cycle of child abuse caused by exposure to drug activity. The goal of DEC is to raise awareness, provide support, information, resources, facilitate services, prevent DEC situations, and encourage early intervention. The National DEC leaders participate in a teleconference once a month to discuss the challenges that DEC alliances across the US and Ontario have encountered and to share best practices. The DEC initiatives are Ontario-based and are reported on every year in the Annual DEC Alliance Report to the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services at the U.S. Department of Justice. "O" Division (Ontario) attended the 2013 National DEC Conference, an event which raised awareness about the initiative, provided information-sharing and training opportunities, and garnered a Collaborative Leadership Award for "O" Division.
• Community Prevention Education Continuum (CPEC) is part of the RCMP "E" Division (British Columbia) Drug Strategy. CPEC focuses on bringing the community together to help youth make safe, responsible and healthy choices in life. In 2013–14, CPEC met 52% of its intended target by providing 75 communities with this mobilization model. Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) is the foundational component of CPEC.

Link 2

In 2013–2014, the RCMP continued its progress on initiatives that were identified through joint collaboration with government partners under the NADS.

The RCMP continues to expand its intelligence sharing process, both domestically and internationally, through initiatives, projects, and partnerships developed under NADS, and continues to work with key partners to develop operational and legislative solutions to emerging issues.

Despite the continued high demand for and availability of MDMA (Ecstasy) and methamphetamine, other types of synthetic drugs (both regulated and unregulated) continued to resurface and emerge in the Canadian illicit drugs market in 2013–14. This is due in part to the ability of organized crime groups to diversify drug commodities in response to demand and law enforcement measures. New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) (for instance synthetic cannabinoids, piperazines, cathinones and amphetamine analogues) were increasingly being imported by organized crime groups in order to keep up with the demand for recreational drug use and to circumvent legislation. The availability of these substances, especially over the Internet, has radically changed the nature of the illicit drugs market.

Two new drug-related pilot courses were developed and offered online in 2013–14 to RCMP members and employees: 1) Drug Identification: this course was designed to provide law enforcement officers with the necessary knowledge and skills to identify the common illegally used street drugs that monopolize the drug scene in communities across Canada; and 2) IED (Improvised Explosive Devices)-HME (Home Made Explosives)-Narcotics Awareness Course: this training prepares law enforcement personnel to recognize narcotics production equipment/operations, including narcotic precursor while also distinguishing their differences. In 2013–14, 341 RCMP Members successfully completed Drug Identification, and 62 Members the IED-HME-Narcotics Awareness Course.

In 2013–14, the RCMP continued to work closely with the chemical industry to provide training on diversion tactics. The RCMP's Chemical Diversion Program utilized an “alert-bulletin” system for a series of unregulated essential chemicals being sought by organized crime groups for the production of synthetic drugs. Many tips were received, allowing investigators to establish new investigations that led to the identification of new targets involved in the illicit synthetic drug trade. Also, eight outreach sessions to the chemical industry were provided to approximately 200 participants in Ontario.

During the reporting period, several investigations across the country resulted in the seizure of large quantities of synthetic drugs and listed precursor chemicals according to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) that are essential to the production of such drugs, including seizures of:

• A large quantity of gamma-Butyrolactone (GBL) which can be converted into gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB);
• A large quantity of Safrole which could be used to produce MDMA;
• N-Phenethyl-4-piperidinone (NPP), a non-regulated precursor which can be converted into a dangerous synthetic opiate, known as Fentanyl;
• A large quantity of alpha-phenylacetoacetonitrile (APAAN) which is used in the production of methamphetamine;
• Seizure of a large quantity of Ephedrine, a CDSA-listed precursor; and
• Ketamine, a CDSA-listed synthetic drug.

Marihuana Grow Operations

Since the RCMP launched the Marihuana Grow Initiative (MGI) in 2011, it has been more effective in reducing MGOs in Canadian communities. The MGI is multifaceted and is based on three components: Enforcement, Deterrence, and Awareness.

There were several operational successes in the fight against drug production in 2013–14. In May 2013, officers with the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia (CFSEU-BC), including RCMP officers, uncovered four sophisticated marihuana grow installations. Ten thousand marihuana plants, expensive equipment and remote seized live plants, ranging from seedlings to mature plants, were seized with an estimated worth of between $5 million and $10 million.

Over the years, several organized crime groups have managed to exploit the Marihuana Medical Access Regulations (MMAR) to varying degrees. These groups are involved in the illegal production, trafficking and exporting of marihuana. In 2013–14, the RCMP actively participated with Health Canada as they launched the new Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (MMPR). The RCMP Security Intelligence Background Section has been responsible for conducting the background checks for all new business venture companies under the MMPR. The RCMP participated in a Law Enforcement Working Group assembled to address issues in the transition from the MMAR to the MMPR.

Since 1989, the RCMP has been conducting an annual joint forces operation with the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), known as Operation SABOT (Ops SABOT). Ops SABOT is a yearly detection and eradication operation targeting outdoor marihuana grow operations during the late summer/early fall period. With the assistance of the CAF, RCMP investigators deploy helicopters and crews, across Canada in order to locate and dismantle outdoor marihuana plantations. In 2013–14, Ops SABOT netted 42,051 marihuana plants, with a potential street value estimated at more than $42 million.

Federal Partner: Correctional Service Canada

Note: Amounts include Employee Benefit Plan premiums and exclude Accommodation premiums.

Expected Results for 2013–14:

Link 1

Timely case preparation; rate of offenders successfully reintegrated into the community.

Results Achieved in 2013–14:

Link 1

Bill C-10, the Safe Streets and Communities Act, received Royal Assent on March 13, 2012 and the sections of the Act which apply to Mandatory Minimum Penalties for Serious Drug Offences came into force in November 2012. The funds were held in a frozen allotment until fiscal year 2013–14, when a total of approximately $1.7 million was released to cover the cost associated with the case preparation and supervision of provincial offenders on an on-going basis.

As the legislative changes are solely linked to serious drug offences, only offenders with a drug offence (Schedule II) are being reported on. As fiscal year 2013–14 finished, there were 43 provincial offenders being supervised, and who have been convicted of a Schedule II offence (drug offence), an increase of nine offenders compared to March 22, 2013. Using the same methodology developed to assess financial requirements, residency rates for the same periods have also increased between those two dates. On March 22, 2013, 53% of the provincial offender population supervised was part of the residency grouping. One year later, this has increased to 64%. Case preparation for the entire provincial population under CSC's jurisdiction has also increased between the two comparison years.

Overall, available data demonstrates that there has been an increasing number of provincial offenders applying for parole, and an increase in the number of cases with a Schedule II offence being gradually transitioned through community-based accommodations. While the overall supervised provincial population is somewhat stable, the proportion of offenders serving a sentence for a drug offence has increased approximately 5%; this population currently representing 29% of the overall supervised provincial population.

Federal Partner: Parole Board of Canada

Note: Amounts include Employee Benefit Plan and Accommodation premiums, and reductions following 2008 Strategic Review and 2011 Departmental Reduction Action Plan.

Expected Results for 2013–14:

Link 1

Effective management of the PBC's legislated responsibilities for parole decision-making for offenders in relation to the requirements of the new legislation related to serious drug crime. PBC will collect information and report on workloads and outcomes of parole for provincial offenders incarcerated as a result of new legislative provisions (e.g., the number and proportion of offenders who successfully complete their parole).

Link 2

Provision of information and assistance to victims of crime, observers at hearings and individuals who seek access to decision registry in relation to the requirements of the new legislation. PBC will report on the extent of involvement of victims, and observers in conditional release processes and the level of satisfaction of these individuals with the information and assistance provided by PBC.

Effective management of both these responsibilities will contribute to public safety and reinforce public confidence in the justice system.

Link 3

Support the work of the program by providing key corporate services.

Results Achieved in 2013–14:

Link 1

The Safe Streets and Communities Act received Royal Assent on March 13, 2012, triggering funding that provides the PBC with the capacity to effectively manage its legislated responsibilities for parole decision-making for offenders in relation to the requirements of the new legislation. In 2013–14, PBC collected information and reported on workloads and outcomes of parole for provincial offenders incarcerated as a result of new legislative provisions (e.g., the number and proportion of offenders who successfully complete their parole). Only a portion of the resources were needed in 2013–14 as the number of reviews impacted by this legislative change increased only slightly from the previous fiscal year.

Link 2

The Safe Streets and Communities Act received Royal Assent on March 13, 2012, triggering funding that gives the PBC the capacity to provide information and assistance to victims of crime, observers at hearings and individuals who seek access to the decision registry as a result of offenders sentenced under the provisions of the new legislation. In a similar manner to its parole decision-making responsibilities, PBC reported on the extent of involvement of victims and observers in conditional release processes and the level of satisfaction of these individuals with the information and assistance provided by PBC. Again, only a portion of the resources were needed in 2013–14 as the number of reviews impacted by this legislative change increased only slightly from previous fiscal year.

Link 3

Provision of corporate services in support of Parole Board programs.

Federal Partner: Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions

Note: Amounts include Employee Benefit Plan premiums of 20% and PWGSC Accommodation premiums of 13%.

Expected Results for 2013–14:

Link 1

Provision of pre-charge legal advice and litigation support, as well as prosecution of drug offences under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA), in response to the workload generated by the enhanced RCMP dedicated anti-drug teams and criminal intelligence and technical operations support staff.

Link 2

Provision of prosecution-related advice and litigation support during police investigations, and prosecution of drug charges under the CDSA resulting from the new legislation related to serious drug crime.

Link 3

Support the work of the program by providing key corporate services.

Results Achieved in 2013–14:

Link 1

In 2013–14, the ODPP handled 26,144 litigation files dealing with drug production and distribution offences (pursuant to CDSA section 5(1), 5(2), 6(1), 6(2), 7(1), 7(2) and 7.1. Files are handled by staff prosecutors and Crown agents. These include new files opened in 2013–14 (11,758) as well as files carried over from previous fiscal years against which time has been recorded (14,386). Of these, 22,063 included distribution offences, whereas 913 included production offences. An additional 2,508 files included both production and distribution offences. The remaining 660 files are CDSA-related but have not yet been updated to indicate which charge applies.

Link 2

In 2013–14, the ODPP handled 853 NADS-related files that included 1,338 charges involving Mandatory Minimum Penalties (MMPs), dedicating 12,428 hours to the conduct of these files.

Link 3

Provision of corporate services in support of ODPP programs.

Federal Partner: Canada Border Services Agency

Note: Amounts include Employee Benefit Plan premiums of 20% and exclude PWGSC Accommodation premiums of 13%.

Expected Results for 2013–14:

Link 1

Continue to increase awareness and capacity to gather information and intelligence of illicit drug issues relative to the border.

Link 2

Continue to increase intelligence support to regional enforcement activities to interdict goods entering and leaving Canada under the strategy.

Link 3

Continue to improve relationships and communication with partner agencies under the Strategy to identify opportunities and improve intelligence activities such as targeting and information sharing related to illicit drugs and other goods (such as precursor chemicals) identified under the Strategy as they relate to the border.

Link 4

Continuation of additional sampling, analysis and increased use of mobile laboratory capabilities to assist in the detection of precursor chemicals at the ports of entry.

Link 5

Support the work of the CBSA programs by providing key corporate services.

Results Achieved in 2013–14:

Link 1

The CBSA continues to see increases in sample requests (over 600 or 12% year over year) for suspected contraband products, particularly in the number of “New Psychoactive Substances (NPS)” where 32 new substances were reported during 2013–14.

Link 2

CBSA intelligence activities in 2013–14 resulted in the development of improved indicators for targeting, as well as increased examination rates. These in turn, enabled the Agency to seize a significant quantity of drugs in 2013–14.

Link 3

The CBSA continued in 2013–14 to provide its NADS partners (e.g. Health Canada, RCMP, etc.) with timely information related to precursors and designer substances. The provision of such information resulted in the issuance of a Health Canada advisory based on a CBSA Laboratory report, and the scheduling of new designer drugs under the CDSA.

Link 4

The mobile laboratory continued to be deployed in 2013–14 and was used to successfully identify a wide variety of substances including: heroin, hypophosphorous acid (controlled delivery, precursor) and anabolic steroids.

Link 5

Provision of corporate services in support of CBSA programs.

Federal Partner: Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

Note: Amounts exclude Employee Benefit Plan and Accommodation premiums.

Expected Results for 2013–14:

Link 1

Build the capacity of the UNODC to fulfill its mandate in the fight against drugs and crime globally.

Link 2

Improved capacity of CICAD to fulfill its mandate in the fight against drugs in the Americas.

Results Achieved in 2013–14:

Link 1

No funds were approved for UNODC for 2013–14.

Link 2

During 2013–14, financial contributions were provided to the OAS Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) to fulfill its mandate through activities in support of the Enforcement Action Plan, including: creating the Drug Information Network to collect and analyze data on illicit drugs for the development of effective anti-drug policies and practices in the Caribbean and Central America; gathering, analyzing and reporting information on drugs; improving the control of chemical diversion for the production of illicit drugs; and increasing the investigative and operational counter-drug capacities of OAS member states.

Federal Partner: Canada Revenue Agency

Note: Amounts include Employee Benefit Plan premiums of 20% and PWGSC Accommodation premiums of 13%.

Expected Results for 2013–14:

Link 1

• 30 audits of taxpayers involved in the production and distribution of illegal drugs resulting in (re)assessments of $2 million of federal taxes;
• Due to a program review at the Canadian Revenue Agency, the audits that were formerly performed by the Special Enforcement Program will now be completed within the Small and Medium Enterprises Directorate (SMED).
• Leads will be obtained by the Criminal Investigations Directorate, from the RCMP, and from the other enforcement agencies involved in enforcement activities relating to illegal drug use, production and distribution and forwarded to SMED to be considered for audit.
• Emphasis will continue to be placed on intelligence-led strategic file selection in an effort to reduce the profitability of illegal/criminal activities in this sector.

Results Achieved in 2013–14:

Link 1

• 32 audits were completed which involved the production and distribution of illegal drugs resulting in (re) assessments of $2.8 million of federal taxes.
• This is the first year the audits were completed by the Small and Medium Enterprises Directorate.

Federal Partner: Public Works and Government Services Canada

Note: Amounts exclude Employee Benefit Plan premiums of 20% and PWGSC Accommodation premiums of 13%.

Expected Results for 2013–14:

Link 1

Increased operational capacity to provide forensic accounting services to law enforcement agencies. Forensic accounting services assist law enforcement and prosecution agencies in determining whether the assets of suspects were derived from criminal activities, thereby allowing the Government of Canada to seize the assets and remove the financial incentives for engaging in criminal activities.

Results Achieved in 2013–14:

Link 1

The Forensic Accounting Management Group provided three forensic accountants, who continued to increase the overall operational capacity to provide forensic accounting services to law enforcement agencies, thereby assisting law enforcement and prosecution agencies in determining whether the assets of suspects were derived from criminal activities, and allowing the Government of Canada to seize the assets and remove the financial incentives for engaging in criminal activities.

Federal Partner: Financial Transactions and Analysis Centre of Canada

Note: Amounts exclude Employee Benefit Plan premiums of 20% and PWGSC Accommodation premiums of 13%.

Expected Results for 2013–14:

Link 1

In 2013–2014 FINTRAC will continue to be an unfunded partner within the NADS initiative. Given the importance of the NADS initiative, FINTRAC has internally reallocated resources to continue to work with the law enforcement and intelligence agencies to ensure they receive financial intelligence related to drug production and distribution that is useful for further actions. This intelligence will be produced as FINTRAC will continue to closely align its financial intelligence products with the needs and priorities of our partners (as per FINTRAC's strategic priorities).

Results Achieved in 2013–14:

Link 1

In 2013–14, FINTRAC disclosed a total of 1,143 cases to law enforcement, including 306 unique cases that related to at least one drugrelated offence, an increase of over 23% from the 248 unique drug-related disclosures made in 2012–13. A breakdown between distribution and production of various types of drugs is provided in the following table (please note that the total does not equal 306 as one case can be related to multiple drug offences):

It is important to note that the predicate offences (drug-related) were determined through a manual review of FINTRAC disclosures and that some cases were not identified as drug-related where there was insufficient context provided by investigators or reports to enable the determination of the predicate offence.

In 2013–14, over 27% of FINTRAC case disclosures related to suspicions of money laundering or terrorist financing where the predicate offence was believed to be drug distribution or production.

Comments on Variances:

Health Canada:

Drug Strategy Community Initiatives Fund (DSCIF):

The reduction in the total allocation from the previously reported amount in RPP 2013–14 is due to a $1.9 million permanent transfer of contributions from Health Canada to Justice Canada reported under DTFP instead of DSCIF. This transfer has now been adjusted and is appropriately reflected under DSCIF.

The variance between planned and actual spending is due to a call for proposals being launched in February 2013 with new projects starting March/April 2014.

Drug Treatment Funding Program (DTFP)

The increase in the total allocation from the previously reported amount in RPP 2013–14 is due to a $1.9 million permanent transfer of contributions from Health Canada to Justice Canada reported under DTFP instead of DSCIF. This transfer has now been adjusted and is appropriately reflected under DSCIF.

DTFP has an annual budget of $13.2 million. In 2013–14, the program spent $13.5 million. The additional funds came from DSCIF projects with identified lapses. The funds went to projects that had requested extra funds to enhance their activities.

National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program (NNADAP)

The NNADAP is supplemented by the NADS. The variance is due to actual spending related to program management.

Compliance and Enforcement Activities

The variance between planned and actual spending is due to delays in staffing positions for ongoing activities in compliance and enforcement.

Drug Analysis Services (DAS)

The reduction in the total allocation and planned spending from the previously reported amounts in RPP 2013–14 is due to the savings identified as part of the Economic Action Plan 2012.

RCMP:

The RCMP has had to reallocate funding internally from all programs in order to meet the increased demands for National Policing Services. Furthermore, various federal and protective policing priorities have created additional requirements to reallocate funding and resources.

Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions:

Actual spending reflects incremental in-house prosecution costs only since agent costs fall under the Drug Prosecution Fund. The increase in actual spending is mainly due to the higher proportion of hours spent on files carried over from previous fiscal years that came before the courts in 2013–14 (223,474 hours or 80% of overall time recorded) as well as a high proportion of moderate and high-complexity files. This includes 631 files that include organized crime components. Also, the ODPP has recently refined its data extraction methodologies, which has resulted in the more accurate capture of a greater amount of relevant cost data. Also, it should be noted that most NADS files include charges other than those related to serious drug offences under the CDSA, mainly Criminal Code charges. As a result, the time entered on such files is not initiative- or charge-specific and it is not possible to specifically attribute an exact number of hours to specific charges.

Canada Border Services Agency:

The CBSA's workload for NADS has increased every year over the past five years, particularly with respect to the Agency's laboratory services. In 2013–14, the CBSA's Analytical and Forensic Services Division overspent on the resources required for a Mobile Laboratory Operation (GTA Region), field sampling work, and the amount of exhibits requested that pertain to the NADS. No new staff have been hired to meet this demand, instead, additional resources have been internally re-allocated.

Correctional Service Canada:

Following a full review of the impact of the legislative changes in Bill C-10, the funding requirements for 2013–14 and future years have been assessed at approximately $1.7 M annually. As a result, CSC requested only a partial release of the $6.1 M funding that was held in frozen allotment, with the balance being returned to the federal finances.

Results achieved by non-federal partners (if applicable):

N/A

Contact information:

Jennifer Goldstone
A/Head, National Anti-Drug Strategy
Youth Justice and Strategic Initiatives Section
(613) 948-7410
Jennifer.Goldstone@justice.gc.ca

Date modified:

2017-02-07