Steering Committee Meeting of the Canada-United States Joint Action Plan on Opioids

Ottawa – December 13, 2024

Since its launch in January 2020, the Governments of Canada and the United States have been taking action through the Joint Action Plan on Opioids (OAP) to continue collaborative counternarcotic efforts to strengthen law enforcement, border control, and public health responses to  combat organized drug crime and save lives.

On December 13, 2024, the OAP Steering Committee convened virtually to assess progress made in 2024. During the meeting, senior officials reaffirmed a joint commitment to strengthen Canada-U.S. partnership by identifying new action items and approaches in 2025.

Progress to Date

• Border Security: Postal agencies in both countries conducted joint training and shared information to target illegal drug trafficking in Canada-U.S. postal streams. The Canada Border Services Agency and U.S. Customs and Border Protection completed independent audits of their drug detection capabilities at land ports of entry to support awareness of capabilities. Both countries remain steadfast in their missions to enhance security on the Canada-U.S. shared border. 
• Law Enforcement: Canadian and U.S. law enforcement agencies continued to exchange drug samples and evidence to strengthen their ability to trace the origins and movement of controlled substances, such as fentanyl. Additionally, Canada and the U.S. completed work to improve targeting of precursor chemical shipments destined to illegal drug production and committed to building on these efforts in 2025.
• Public Health: Public Health experts shared best practices and the latest research on public health drug priorities, including updates to medication assisted therapy, and increasing awareness and understanding of opioid use stigma within pharmacy settings.

Canada and the United States remain committed to continuing cooperation to end the opioid overdose crisis affecting both of our nations. In 2025, we plan to advance our efforts to fight organized drug crime, secure our shared border, and reduce drug demand and substance use harms in both countries.