News 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 Thunder Bay, 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 municipality ever since. Every time she got in trouble, "I always ran," stated 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," shared 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 advised. "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 crisis 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.
"Until they want it, you can't help them.
"I wore that as a badge of armour," declared Johansson. "I would get blackout drunk and then I would go use [drugs]. For me to be alive today, it's a miracle." She advised 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 stated. 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 indicated. "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. Johansson indicated 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 remarked. "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 Thunder Bay District Health Unit (TBDHU). She declared 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 citizens 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 advised. 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 residential development and poverty issues that often keep people in their addictions or growth 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 the Lakehead, 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
