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Mission Statement

The Grey Bruce FOCUS Coalition is a group of individuals, organizations, and agencies that work together to prevent problems, including injuries and chronic disease, associated with alcohol and other drug abuse in Grey and Bruce Counties. Our purpose is to initiate and support prevention strategies that are based on local needs and current best practices.

What is the FOCUS Project?

The FOCUS Community Project is a provincial initiative designed to reduce the abuse of alcohol and other drugs and prevent its associated problems, injuries, and chronic diseases.

The project began in 1991 with the designation of 11 FOCUS sites across the province. In 1998, nine more sites were announced including Owen Sound / Brockton.   There are now 22 FOCUS sites and the name has changed to reflect the area it covers, Grey and Bruce Counties

FOCUS is a program funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion. The Grey Bruce site will receive $103,700 each year for the duration of the project. This funding has been matched by community partners' in-kind contributions of 1.1 to the amount of the Ministry funding.

How Does FOCUS Work?

FOCUS is a community project, directed by a coalition of community-based partners. Partners include groups, agencies and individuals that work or have an interest in the area of substance abuse prevention. The lead agency is the Grey Bruce Public Health Unit. New partners are welcome! A FOCUS coordinator is an employee of the Grey Bruce Health Unit and has roles and responsibilities to the coalition.

Proposals for FOCUS initiatives are submitted from the community for the coalition to review.  Initiatives that meet  with the four year plan and the provincial FOCUS objectives are invited to actively participate in the FOCUS coalition.

Alcohol is our #1 drug abuse problem!

History of Owen Sound & Brockton FOCUS Project

The FOCUS project is a provincial initiative designed to reduce the abuse of alcohol and other drugs and to prevent associated problems, injuries, and chronic diseases. The project began in 1991 with the designation of 11 FOCUS sites across the province. In 1998, nine more sites were announced, including Owen Sound/Brockton.

The initial five year program was funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion, and Owen Sound/Brockton received $103,700 each year. The community partners committed one to one times this amount in in-kind contributions.

Communities that have a high incidence of substance abuse and related injuries and who have demonstrated effective community programming for the same were invited to submit proposals for funding. The proposal for the local FOCUS project was submitted by the Grey Bruce Public Health Unit in October 1997. Funds were received in the fall of 1998.  The Grey Bruce Health Unit is the lead agency for the FOCUS Project.

The Ministry of Health Promotion announced in November 2002 to extend Ontario's FOCUS Community Programs for another five years.  2003 - 2004 was a transition year.  A four year plan was submitted in 2004 - 2008, with a proposal submitted every fiscal year, April 1 to March 31.

In 2004 the name and area was expanded to cover Grey and Bruce counties.  Therefore a name change from the Owen Sound & Brockton FOCUS Project to the Grey Bruce FOCUS Project.

In 2005 the Ministry changed to the Ministry of Health Promotion, Chronic Disease Prevention & Health Promotion Branch.

If you are interested in hearing more about the FOCUS project, or would like to be involved: