About Toronto to Zero

Toronto has always had a strong response to HIV … now we have a unique opportunity to re-imagine that response. Given everything that we know, what can Toronto do differently? How can we make new HIV infections rare and ensure people with HIV will lead long healthy lives free from stigma and discrimination?

Toronto to Zero is a collaboration between people living with HIV and other community members, community-based AIDS service organizations, clinicians, public health agencies, researchers, and government stakeholders working in partnership to successfully end the epidemic in our city by:

  • Dramatically reducing the number of new HIV transmissions so that the number of people living with HIV is decreasing
  • Improving the health outcomes of people currently living with HIV
  • Maximizing the number of people with HIV who:
    • are diagnosed quickly after contracting HIV
    • are immediately linked to care and treatment
  • Dismantling HIV stigma and discrimination

The Champion Team is made up of people living with HIV, individuals from populations at risk of HIV, and service providers has been convened to guide the initiative. This group of local stakeholders will help guide the project through its initial formulation, formulate task groups to develop a comprehensive action plan for the project, engage with community stakeholders, and oversee the implementation of the project’s action plan.

Toronto has always had a strong response to HIV … now we have a unique opportunity to re-imagine that response. Given everything that we know, what can Toronto do differently? How can we make new HIV infections rare and ensure people with HIV will lead long healthy lives free from stigma and discrimination?

More than 250 cities around the world – including New York, London, San Francisco and Paris – have launched comprehensive plans to end the HIV epidemic, and many have been able to dramatically reduce the number of new infections. To stop HIV, we need a focused, coordinated city-wide effort that builds on our existing network of services to stop the virus.

For this project to be a success, we also need the knowledge, experience and passion of community members living with and affected by HIV. We will actively engage the community in planning and implementing Toronto to Zero, giving those interested an opportunity to learn, engage and contribute to the shape of the project. We encourage you to stay involved and help us plan how we can end the HIV epidemic in Toronto, together.

The Toronto to Zero Champion Team

Toronto to Zero is led by a Champion Team composed of people living with and affected by HIV, volunteers and employees from the municipal and provincial HIV sector, provincial government representatives, and health system stakeholders. At least 25% of members of the Champion Team are people living with HIV, or from populations most affected by HIV.

The role of the Champion Team is to:

  • Oversee the initiative’s planning, implementation and impact/outcomes, and ensure its feasibility.
  • Establish a shared agenda/roadmap.
  • Develop an open and transparent community engagement and consultation process.
  • Establish targets and indicators, and report publically on project progress.
  • Address any issues that have major implications for the desired outcome(s).
  • Establish time-limited Task Groups to develop action plans to address key needs, issues and gaps.

The Champion Team is chaired by Murray Jose-Boerbridge (Director of the Toronto HIV/AIDS Network) and Darien Taylor (member of the Ending the Epidemic advocacy group), and includes individuals representing the following organizations:

Toronto HIV/AIDS Network

AIDS Committee of Toronto

Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention

Committee for Accessible AIDS Treatment

Toronto People with AIDS Foundation

Ontario Aboriginal HIV/AIDS Strategy

Women’s Health in Women’s Hands

Fife House

Casey House

South Riverdale Community Health Centre

Maggie’s Toronto Sex Worker Action Project

Church Wellesley Health Centre

Task Group Progress

Toronto to Zero is committed to leveraging existing expertise and collaborations. With over a dozen TtZ Task Groups formed, and with so many community, agency and industry partners, this high-level snapshot of how the recommendations are going shows encouraging results.

17% Planning Stages
41% In Progress
35% Final Stretch
7%   Recommendations Submitted

 

There’s been quite a bit of movement and activity in our Task Groups since the last newsletter…and there’s still more to come! 

 

In addition to the recent submission of final recommendations to the TtZ Champions Team, recommendations from working groups have already launched several new initiatives and are working to build the Gay Men’s Health Hub in the beginning of 2020.