Ontario Healthcare Stakeholders Unite on Shared Action Plan to Reduce Tobacco and Nicotine Dependence

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Vanguard healthcare, policy, and community stakeholders consolidate as newly formed Ontario Nicotine Action Table (ONAT) to build long-term plan for coordinated action

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TORONTO, Sept. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A broad group of healthcare stakeholders, researchers, policymakers, and community organizations have united to tackle one of Ontario’s most persistent and preventable public health challenges: tobacco and nicotine addiction.

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Convened by Lung Health Foundation (LHF), the Ontario Nicotine Action Table (ONAT) brings together influential partners from across the province to align efforts, close gaps, and accelerate progress on tobacco and nicotine prevention and cessation through The Ontario Stakeholder’s Nicotine Action Plan (“The Action Plan”), which defines a unified approach to achieving Canada’s Tobacco Endgame target of reducing tobacco use to below 5% by 2035, while working toward reducing nicotine use to below 5% across all age groups by 2045.

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The initiative marks a shift from siloed approaches toward a coordinated, stakeholder-led response.

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The Action Plan “is not just a blueprint,” says Dr. Jessica Moffatt, Co-Chair of the Ontario Nicotine Action Table. “It’s a movement and a turning point for tobacco and nicotine prevention in Ontario. Building on decades of progress, ONAT brings partners together around a shared vision and commitment to drive momentum, reduce disparities, and create lasting impact.”

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“No single organization can achieve this alone,” stresses Dr. Peter Selby, Co-Chair of the Ontario Nicotine Action Table. “Reaching the Tobacco Endgame target by 2035 and continuing toward our 2045 vision will require sustained collaboration at all levels, shared accountability, and a strong focus on equity.”

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Provincial Stakeholders

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“Ontario has made real progress on tobacco control, but the changing nicotine landscape, from vaping to other emerging products, means our work is far from over,” says Jessica Buckley, President and CEO of Lung Health Foundation. “Ontario has an opportunity to build on the successes we’ve achieved while responding to new challenges facing communities, healthcare providers, and families across the province.”

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A Persistent, Changing Crisis

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Despite decades of progress, nicotine remains a driver of illness and rising healthcare costs in Ontario. Among Ontarians aged 35 and older, smoking accounts for 17% of all deaths, 8.7% of hospitalizations, and 3.4% of emergency department visits — equating to 16,673 deaths and more than 250,000 acute care encounters. Smoking continues to be the leading cause of preventable death and contributes to an estimated $7 billion in annual healthcare spending, and a heavy economic burden. Progress toward the federal 5% smoking target is uneven across provinces, and Ontario is unlikely to reach it by 2035 without coordinated action.