Dr. Alexander Caudarella

Biography

Dr. Alexander Caudarella is a bilingual family physician with specialty training in substance use health issues.

As a leader and clinician, he brings years of collaborative substance use healthcare experience to CCSA from his work across the country. Previously, Alexander served as the medical director of substance use services (SUS) at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, and lead SUS physician with Inner City Health Associates. He has developed innovative clinical programs to decrease barriers to care and improve access to a better standard of care in hospitals, clinics and the community. In his work as a researcher and clinician he frequently advised public health officials on issues related to substance use health.

As one of the key leaders of the Toronto Opioid Overdose Action Network, Alexander coordinated the implementation of in-hospital substance use components and developed a regional system to access rapid expert support. He has served as a substance use consultant and clinician for the Government of Nunavut. For more than a decade, Alexander worked on Indigenous-lead programs in Canada and abroad aimed at building capacity, decreasing stigma and building local workforces.

He joined CCSA as Chief Executive Officer in August 2022. Alexander believes his experiences help him understand and appreciate the diversity of substance use health services, challenges and opportunities that exist in our country. The organization’s national mandate to empower people in Canada and government to focus on substance use issues, and its work to centre the voices of people who use substances and their families, drew him to CCSA.

Through CCSA’s work with national and international partners, Alexander wants people in Canada to understand the scope of substance use health and the solutions they can put in place in their communities. He passionately believes that collaboration across sectors is essential in improving the health and well-being of people who use drugs and alcohol. This is a difficult time for people who use drugs and alcohol, as well as the families and health workers who care for them. Alexander is proud to work with the amazing team at CCSA to build hope, and continue to build Canada as an international leader in this area.