Most Canadian research on drug use occurs in larger urban settings and less is known about drug use and related policies in smaller urban and rural communities. This is true of Waterloo Region, which is comprised of three smaller urban cities and four rural townships.

Drug use is increasingly being recognized as a health rather than a criminal issue. There are known negative health outcomes associated with drug criminalization, and in the last few years, the Waterloo Region Police Service has deprioritized drug possession and reduced its possession charges by 50 per cent. 

This mixed method study seeks to examine the effects of these changes to policing practice as they related to individual and community health and measure variations in drug-related police encounters across demographic and geographic factors between 2016 to 2026.

We are grateful for the funding we have received for this project, including a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Project Grant ($664,276; 2025-2029; PJT 197875); CIHR bridge funding from the Centre for Research on Pandemic Preparedness and Health Emergencies ($100,000; 2024-2027; PPE 196075); and University of Waterloo’s Research Incentive Fund ($19,941; 2024-2026).