Blood Ties Four Directions Centre

10/07/2025

Hello Yukoners!
It’s getting chilly outside, and the snow is playing Chicken so come join us for some Turkey this Thursday, Oct 9th!
Lunch is 1-3 and Dinner is from 4-530!
Our kitchen crew is going to take you on a journey of the most delicious fall flavours and we hope you can gobble your way over to join us for this festive feast🦃🍂

10/06/2025

Today, Blood Ties shared a letter with all Yukon political party leaders ahead of the upcoming election.

The toxic drug crisis continues to devastate our communities, and we cannot afford to backslide. Before our Supervised Consumption Site (SCS) opened, overdoses in alleys and parking lots were routine. Today, hundreds of lives have been saved but our services remain stretched beyond sustainability.

We encourage all Yukoners to ask political parties how they will address the toxic drug crisis and hepatitis C.

👉 What we’re asking party leaders to commit to:

Supervised Consumption Site: Adequate staffing and funding to operate 7 days a week, 11 hours a day, while keeping services low-barrier and accessible.

Workforce: Fair wages and supports for harm reduction staff, whose life-saving work is undervalued and underpaid.

Continuum of Services: Support to maintain and expand food, housing, drop-in, and outreach programs that stabilize lives and strengthen community wellness.

Education: Sustained funding for health education, stigma reduction, and culturally rooted programs like the Knowledge Keeper Project.

Hepatitis C & STBBIs: Accessible, community-driven testing and treatment so all Yukoners can access early diagnosis and cure.

Impact so far:

438 overdoses reversed: That's 438 lives saved!

More than 58,000 visits since 2021

Over 1,060 unique individuals supported

Significant improvements in participants’ physical and mental health, safety, and dignity

As one person shared: “I’d probably be dead without this place.”

We are calling on all parties to publicly share their commitments by October 17, 2025 so Yukoners know where they stand.

You can read the full letter and background at https://www.bloodties.ca/news-events/letter-to-political-parties

Thank you for standing with us and with people who use drugs. Together, we can save lives and build stronger, safer communities.

— Blood Ties Four Directions Centre

The toxic drug crisis is a health emergency in the Yukon and across the country that has had devastating impacts on communities. Before our supervised consumption site opened, overdoses in alleys and parking lots were routine. Today, hundreds of lives have been saved through the continuum of service...

09/12/2025

✨ Blood Ties Supervised Consumption Site – 2025 Evaluation Results ✨

Since opening in September 2021, the SCS has had more than 59,000 visits and reversed over 439 overdoses with no lives lost. That’s 439 lives saved. [note: this may seem like a rapid jump since last time you heard from us but it is because we are using a new definition of overdose based on what other sites use to better reflect current overdose presentations and were able to update some of the old records too]

The evaluation of Blood Ties Supervised Consumption Site (SCS) showed the SCS is more than a place to use safely - it’s a place where people:
💜 Reduce sharing of supplies and lower their risk of HIV and hepatitis
💜 Access food, warmth, and connection during harsh Yukon winters
💜 Find mental health support and community when they need it most
💜 Build relationships that restore dignity and reduce stigma

Participants told us:
🗣️ “[Without it], I'd probably be dead.”
🗣️"I think mental health is probably even better, too. Yeah. Just the fact that I have somewhere to go and talking to people and not feel like this horrifying, disgusting thing."
🗣️ They experienced stigma and judgment throughout their lives, which was hard to hear. But we were happy they described feeling “wanted and accepted” and “always welcome, heard, understood” at the SCS.

The findings are clear: the SCS saves lives, improves health, reduces strain on the already-stretched health care system, and makes our community safer.

Thank you to those of you who have stood with us during this difficult time. Having the site closed on weekends has weighed heavily on our hearts and we appreciate our supporters for being behind us!

09/06/2025

💜 Thank you for joining us on International Overdose Awareness Day

On September 3rd, our community came together at Blood Ties for conversation, remembrance, and a shared meal. We honoured those we’ve lost to the toxic drug crisis and called for urgent action to prevent more deaths.

Each life lost was preventable. The crisis is ongoing, and it demands political courage and concrete action. Blood Ties is calling on all levels of government, community organizations, and the public to take immediate, concrete action:

➡️Create an updated Substance Use Health Emergency strategy with priorities and an implementation framework with an outline of how objectives will be achieved, timelines, delegation of responsibilities, where different funding will be sourced from, and set achievable and measurable goals.

➡️Invest in sustainable harm reduction programs, with stable, long-term funding for the approaches proven to save lives. Address the acute shortage of skilled harm reduction workers in the Yukon by ensuring wages are competitive locally and nationally, and by providing sustainable funding to recruit and retain experienced staff who have built expertise and trusted relationships in the community.

➡️Expand access to opioid agonist treatment and safe supply, particularly for individuals living outside of Whitehorse. The toxic drug supply is unpredictable and dangerous. A safe supply of regulated, readily available substances that all Yukoners who need it can access would save lives.

➡️Support Indigenous- and peer-led initiatives, including land-based healing, cultural supports, and community-driven pathways to wellness.

➡️Stop investing in carceral and police-focused approaches to address a health crisis. Criminalizing people who use drugs further marginalizes them and puts them in situations where using is more unsafe and where they are too afraid to call 911 in medical emergencies.

➡️Address the social determinants of health fueling this crisis, including housing insecurity and food insecurity.

➡️Carry naloxone and know how to use it. Practice filling vials so you’re ready. Learn first aid and how to provide rescue breathing, which can be as important as naloxone in saving a life. Responding to a crisis is more difficult than practicing in a classroom. It is important to practice these skills regularly.

➡️Integrate overdose response into workplace safety training and ensure public spaces with community washrooms have overdose response protocols in place.

We already know what works — we’ve seen it save lives. What we need now is the courage to act.

Thank you to everyone who joined us in remembrance, solidarity, and a call for change. 💜

09/03/2025

We are having our International Overdose Awareness Day event at Blood Ties this afternoon from 12-3pm.

We will have a BBQ, booths for other community partners, naloxone training, and memorial craft making for those who are interested.

We're thinking of our community, today and everyday.

09/03/2025

Join us tomorrow (Wednesday September 3rd, 2025) from 12:00 - 3:00PM for International Overdose Awareness Day at Blood Ties. We will gather, share food, and honour those we've lost to the toxic drug crisis.

A free barbecue will be provided.

Everyone is welcome!

08/27/2025

Out of respect for the recent loss of a Northern Tutchone community member, and in recognition of the Selkirk First Nation and Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation office closures, the Liver Health Carnival in Carmacks will be postponed.
We will return at a later date when the time is right.

Our hearts are with the family and with everyone impacted at this difficult time

The Carnival in Dawson City will still take place on August 28th as planned.

08/14/2025

Our Supervised Consumption Site has been closed on weekends following a serious safety incident. Blood Ties is facing significant challenges in sustainably staffing our services. Even during the week, we sometimes experience staffing shortages while managing nearly 2,000 visits per month. Some days, the site sees more than 200 visits in one day. On weekdays, we can occasionally shift staff to cover gaps, but this is more difficult to manage on weekends.

We want to be transparent with our community about where things stand and what we’ve been working on.

We know this closure leaves a critical gap in the community, and we feel that frustration too. Over the past several months, we have been in active discussions with our partners in the Yukon Government about a staffing solution that would allow us to return to 7-day service. This is not about expanding programming - it is about ensuring we have the resources to consistently recruit and retain the skilled staff required to operate safely every day of the week and ensure there is supervision and support on every shift. This work is specialized and can be high-pressure, so consistency in staffing is critical to the health and safety of both clients and staff.

Our priority is getting back to full service as quickly and safely as possible. We are committed to keeping the community informed and will share updates as soon as we can restore weekend service. If you have any questions, please reach out.

07/15/2025

We'll be at Dawson City Music Festival this weekend. Come say hi!

06/26/2025

We are ready for the Support Don’t Punish event today at Blood Ties (parking lot at 6189 6th Ave).

12PM: send a letter to your MLA at our letter writing station, make a button or a sign, or get naloxone training!

1PM: free burgers, hot dogs, potato salad, and snacks

1:45PM: gathering and speeches

2PM: march for action to Yukon Courts, rally and speech when we arrive

Hope to see you soon!

06/04/2025

Please join us TONIGHT Wednesday June 4th for our community barbecue and cleanup! This event is to express our appreciation to our community for all of the support you have provided us, Everyone is welcome and free food will be provided. Live music by Graeme Poile, prizes and good vibe.

RAIN OR SHINE - we have tents and an indoor space if it gets cold!

🕔 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
📍 Meet at: 6189 6th Ave Parking Lot

What’s Happening?
🌿 Community Clean-Up: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Let’s tidy up our streets together and show some love to the neighbourhood!

🍔 Free BBQ Dinner: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Grab a burger, hotdog, or veggie option — on us!

🏠 Tours of the Blood Ties Building: 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Come see our space and learn more about what we do.

🎶 Music, Prizes & Good Vibes All Evening!

Everyone is welcome — whether you’re joining to clean up, enjoy the BBQ, take a tour, or just say hi. We hope to see you there!

⸻

Why We’re Gathering:
On April 30, a serious safety incident occurred at our site. Two women entered the building, and one appeared to have a firearm — later determined to be a replica. RCMP responded quickly and safely, but the situation led to evacuations and loud, alarming noises in the neighbourhood.

We know this was upsetting, and we want to acknowledge the fear and disruption it caused. We’re incredibly grateful to our neighbours for the patience and kindness you’ve shown in the aftermath.

This event is our way of saying thank you and continuing to build a safe, vibrant neighbourhood together.

⸻

05/31/2025

Blood Ties neighbours and Whitehorse community members - you’re invited to BT4D’s community clean-up and barbecue on Wednesday June 4th featuring live music by Graeme Poile!

🕔 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
📍 Meet at: 6189 6th Ave Parking Lot

⸻

Why We’re Gathering:
On April 30, a serious safety incident occurred at our site. Two women entered the building, and one appeared to have a firearm — later determined to be a replica. RCMP responded quickly and safely, but the situation led to evacuations and loud, alarming noises in the neighbourhood.

We know this was upsetting, and we want to acknowledge the fear and disruption it caused. We’re incredibly grateful to our neighbours for the patience and kindness you’ve shown in the aftermath.

This event is our way of saying thank you and continuing to build a safe, vibrant neighbourhood together.

⸻

What’s Happening?
🌿 Community Clean-Up: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Let’s tidy up our streets together and show some love to the neighbourhood!

🍔 Free BBQ Dinner: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Grab a burger, hotdog, or veggie option — on us!

🏠 Tours of the Blood Ties Building: 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Come see our space and learn more about what we do.

🎶 Music, Prizes & Good Vibes All Evening!

⸻

Everyone is welcome — whether you’re joining to clean up, enjoy the BBQ, take a tour, or just say hi. We hope to see you there!