For almost three decades, Chris Richter has been a steady presence in Toronto’s substance use care community. Today, he works at the Oakridge Health Hub, a partnership with the East Toronto Health Partners Ontario Health Team, where he helps people who use drugs—or who intend to stop—access care, community, and connection without judgment.
Chris’ journey began when he was living at a downtown shelter. “Queen West Community Health Centre was handing out sterile supplies and someone there saw something in me,” he recalls. “They asked if I wanted to be a peer worker — that’s how it all started.”
Now, Chris brings that same empathy and understanding to his work every day. He understands that life is complicated and so is substance use care. “People who use drugs speak a different language,” he says. “Because of my experience, I can connect with them in a different way. I just talk to them the way I remember being spoken to when I was a client.”
At Oakridge Health Hub, which sits in the most north-east part of our catchment, Chris helps distribute sterile supplies and connects clients to substance use supports. But he also goes far beyond that. Working closely with health promoter, Kelly Wu, they recognized that many clients face stigma in traditional care settings and their approach to providing care needed to be different. They needed to give people a meaningful reason to come and engage with them. “We drink coffee, laugh loudly about stories from childhood, teach each other how to use safely, wipe tears from our neighbour’s face, and hold on to the gift of being able to sit side by side,” shares Kelly.
Knowing people who access substance use care also often need help with every day needs, Chris helped launch a food program where everyone can feel safe and respected. In addition to a weekly food program organized in partnership with Second Harvest, Oakridge Health Hub also started offering clients daily hot lunches.
“It wasn’t just about feeding people,” Chris explains. “It was about creating a place where they could come and feel comfortable — where no one’s judging them. A place that’s our own.” Once trust is built together, we can offer referrals to primary care, mental health counselling, and other support services.
Chris is now dreaming even bigger: he’d like to expand the program to include cooking classes that teach people how to turn basic food items into healthy meals. “I want to show people how to make something good out of what they’ve got,” he says. “I want to teach people how to make a ‘poor’ meal that’s also a gourmet meal.”
Chris’ story reflects the heart of SRCHC’s work: removing barriers, building trust, and creating spaces where everyone feels seen, valued, and supported.