Backgrounder

Date: December 21, 2007

For immediate release

COMMUNITY INITIATIVES FUND (DSCIF)

In the 2007 Federal Budget, the Government of Canada announced the National Anti-Drug Strategy with a goal of improving the health, safety and security of Canadians by addressing both the demand for and supply of illegal drugs in Canada.

Health Canada, through the Drug Strategy Community Initiatives Fund (DSCIF) under the National Anti-Drug Strategy, will contribute to reducing illicit drug use among youth through health promotion and prevention projects.

Examples of projects include informing and educating the public about illicit drugs and the adverse health and social effects of use; facilitating the development of healthy attitudes, resiliency and coping skills among youth to avoid engaging in drug use; promoting healthy behaviours and supportive environments that discourage drug use; and improving access to proven approaches to reduce drug use among vulnerable groups.

Meaningful youth engagement is considered essential for success in designing and implementing a project. Projects must show measurable results in the prevention or reduction of illicit drug use among youth.

Proposals reflecting a national, provincial/territorial or local scope will be considered through the DSCIF. Please submit your application through the applicable Health Canada regional office if your proposal is provincial, territorial or local in scope. If your proposal is national in scope, please submit your application through the national office in Ottawa .

Proposals will undergo an initial review at the level submitted (i.e. regional or national), followed by a second review against proposals from across the country.

• Health Canada National Office:
  Ottawa
  (613) 957-6799
  
  
• Health Canada Regional Offices are located in:
• Atlantic Region
  Moncton, NB
  (506) 851-2059
  
  
• Ontario/Nunavut Region
  Toronto, ON
  (416) 954-3143
  
  
• Québec Region
  Montreal, QC
  (514) 283-8206
  
  
• Manitoba/Saskatchewan Region
  Regina, SK
  (306) 780-3155
  
  
• Alberta/NWT Region
  Edmonton, AB
  (780) 495-2333
  
  
• British Columbia/Yukon Region
  Burnaby, BC
  (604) 666-0602

For more information on the DSCIF and how to apply, please visit: www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/drug-drogues/dscif-ficsa/index_e.html.