A developing story from Thunder Bay: Tara Johansson says she was stuck in a "vicious cycle" of alcoholism and addiction for years, but is now helping others seek recovery in the Lakehead, which hasthe highest opioid-related death rate in Ontario.
Johansson, who was born in Thunder Bay and grew up in Peterborough,said she left home at 14 and has been in the northwestern Ontario community ever since. Every time she got in trouble, "I always ran," noted Johansson, a 41-year-old mother of two. "Nobody knew how bad my addictions were because I was a ‘high-functioning’ addict and I was a social drinker," remarked Johansson.
"But nobody drank like I did." Today, Johansson is over 5½ years into her recovery. She works as the membership and programming co-ordinator for People Advocating for Change Through Empowerment (PACE), which runs a drop-in centre on the city’s south side. I’m happy," she indicated. "I get to come to work, and I get to tell my story and I get to be somebody — a light to somebody." In detailing how she turned her life around, she recalled when she went to a medical centre urgent situation room with a subdural hematoma the size of a softball, and the doctor told her she had a blood alcohol level of 0.45,which can be fatal.
You can love them — that's all we can do," Johansson advised.
"I wore that as a badge of armour," remarked Johansson. "I would get blackout drunk and then I would go use [drugs]. For me to be alive today, it's a miracle." She indicated she used alcohol and drugs — including opiates, cocaine and crack cocaine — to cope with mental health challenges. She went through several short periods of sobriety but struggled to address the underlying trauma she was facing. "I was not emotionally sober. I was what they call a dry drunk." After experiencing abuse from her partner, she contacted Faye Peterson House and was encouraged to join Alcoholics Anonymous, a program she had tried in the past. "I didn't want to do it because I was embarrassed, I was ashamed," Johansson confirmed. From addiction to high school graduation: Thunder Bay, Ont., woman shares story of recovery She survived addiction and human trafficking. Now she’s on the front lines helping others "I am the root of all my problems. Yes, these things were done to me, but I could have[sought out] help." PACE staff have lived experience of the challenges faced by clients, whether it be homelessness, addiction or mental health issues. Clients are also provided food, clothing, access to washrooms, showers and laundry facilities, as well as programming. Staff can also refer them to other health and social services. "Until they want it, you can't help them. You can love them — that's all we can do," Johansson advised. "And that's my job. I love them." Thunder Bay’s opioid-related death rate is more than five times the provincial average, at 52.72 per 100,000 population, compared to 8.96 per 100,000 population across Ontario,according to the Office of the Chief Coroner. For the Ontario government's part, a spokesperson with the office of Health Minister Sylvia Jones notes that its efforts in Thunder Bay include aHomelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) hub, which offers services including primary care, mental health services, supportive accommodation and transition beds, among others. This is in addition to efforts across the province, such as a $3.8-billion government investment that includes expanding access to mental health and addiction support services — for instance, building 500 new addiction recovery beds, over half of which are located in northern Ontario, stated an email received by CBC Thunder on Tuesday. Johansson remarked she wants to see more treatment centres to reduce wait times, because when someone says they’re ready for help, there’s a small window to get it to them before they change their mind. "If they're truly ready and they get into detox, that bed's got to be ready," she declared. "There's not enough. We can send them all away, but if we could have more of that here, I think that would make a huge difference." Kandace Belanger is the manager of street outreach, harm reduction and sexual health at the regional capital District Health Unit (TBDHU). She indicated access to recovery beds and other resources is more limited in northern Ontario than other parts of the province. In her experience, stigma surrounding alcohol and medicine abuse, particularly in the health-care system, is one of the biggest barriers that prevent people from seeking help. Other factors — such as access to stable residential development, income security, transportation, medications and mental health resources — also play a big role, she added. "Recovery is not something that just happens on a straight trajectory. It's often very nuanced and very individualized where there can be some ups and downs, sometimes even some relapses in use. That's not a failure; that's progress through recovery for the individual.” Belanger recalled a quote popularized by British journalist Johann Hari: "'The opposite of addiction is connection.'" "The whole the area has a role to play in supporting recovery by reducing stigma, ensuring that there's access to evidence-based treatment, having harm reduction services available," she confirmed. Why many Thunder Bay, Ont., residents travel to B.C. for addiction and trauma treatment Life doesn't have to end behind bars, says ex-inmate, among those urging more addictions help in Ontario jails "We know that serves as a really good point of connection, addressing some of the new homes and poverty issues that often keep people in their addictions or expansion the barriers to recovery." "It doesn't matter where you've been, what you've done. Somebody is waiting for you." Sarah Law is a CBC News reporter based in Thunder Bay, Ont., and has also worked for newspapers and online publications elsewhere in the province. Have a story tip? You can reach her at sarah.law@cbc.ca. It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered onCBC Gem..
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📍 Source: CBC News Thunder Bay · By: CBC News Staff · 🗓️ August 11, 2026 · 🏠 ThunderBay.Online
