The Trudeau government’s introduced legislation, Bill C-37, that would amend the government’s drug and substance strategy.

(Sean Kilpatrick / Canadian Press)

It would put drug policy back under the Ministry of Health and away from the Ministry of Justice.

Health Minister Jane Philpott says her ministry will have more say in getting safe drug injection sites opened, adding they save lives.

”This is a crisis that is complex, it’s multi-dimensional and as we make this announcement, the people who are foremost in my mind are family members.  Mothers in particular, to whom I’ve spoken, who’ve told me the stories of their sons and daughters who’ve lost their lives due to opiod overdoses.”

Philpott expects it to take several months for the legislation to become law.

Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale says another measure will crack down on illicit shipments of fentanyl and the import of equipment used to make pills.