In late 2015, the Middlesex-London Health Unit, in collaboration with community partners, began a process to develop a long-term community drug and alcohol strategy for London and Middlesex County based on a "Four Pillars" approach of prevention, treatment, harm reduction and enforcement, and solidified through a foundation of collaboration.

The Community Drug and Alcohol Strategy (CDAS), is a locally developed strategy for preventing and addressing substance use-related harms in our community. It is the result of the expertise of local partners as well as the diverse voices of hundreds of citizens who are invested in the health and wellness of Middlesex-London.

The Middlesex-London Community Drug and Alcohol Strategy: A Foundation for Action was finalized and released in October 2018. Overall, the Strategy consists of 23 recommendations with 98 associated actions. These recommendations incorporate both new actions and those that will build on and strengthen initiatives currently happening in our community.

59 actions were identified for priority focus over the first 1 to 3 years.