Ontario's NDP says it would also work with the federal government to decriminalize drug possession, as British Columbia has done.

"It's about saving lives," NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said Wednesday. "We do need to listen to what the chiefs of police are saying around the province — around the country; what advocates are saying, and have been saying for a long time. We need a safe drug supply, we need to decriminalize simple possession of drugs and provide people with the supports that they need to manage their addictions and to save their lives."

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The Ontario Greens say they would also try to "fast-track the decriminalization of drugs and reallocate funding from the justice system to mental health-care services."

"I look at Portugal in particular," Leader Mike Schreiner said. "Decriminalizing substances has led to lower use of substances and the saving of lives."

Steven Del Duca's Liberals said in a statement that decriminalization is "not something we are considering."

The Progressive Conservatives didn't respond to a request for comment. Leader Doug Ford has said he's dead against it.

The B.C. NDP government recently reached an agreement with the federal Liberals to decriminalize small amounts of drugs for personal use. It will start next January.

The possession limit is 2.5 grams — a small amount that advocates say could make the situation worse by encouraging street drug makers to create more potent and toxic batches. B.C. originally asked for a 4.5-gram limit.

Schreiner said he was disappointed in B.C.'s limit, saying governments should "follow the evidence ... follow the science and all of the best practices in other countries or around the world."

Horwath didn't say what kind of limit she would support.

"This needs to be a decision that's informed by experts, frankly. And I am not an expert when it comes to the dosages of any given substance," she said.

Horwath and Schreiner have also pledged to provide "safer alternatives" to the toxic street drug supply. B.C. has also led the way on this idea, which harm reduction experts say will save lives — although B.C.'s system has struggled to meet demand.

Neither described their proposed safer supply systems in detail, but both promised to consult with experts to create them. Horwath said she's already had conversations with public health experts and police.

Schreiner added that creating 60,000 supportive housing units "with wraparound mental health addictions" is a big part of his harm reduction plan.

"Experts have shown that every $10 invested in permanent, supportive housing saves $21.72 in other costs — health-care costs, criminal justice costs, social service costs," he said.

The federal government is also considering requests from Toronto and Edmonton to decriminalize drugs in their cities. Vancouver had also requested an exemption, which was de facto granted with B.C.'s approval.

B.C. NDP MP Gord Johns proposed a private member's bill that would decriminalize drugs nationwide, which the Trudeau government was poised to shoot down Wednesday. Horwath said she didn't know if she would support that move.

"Well, I don't know, specifically, where every province is, in terms of their own situations when it comes to the opioid crisis," she said.

Ontario NDP and Greens would decriminalize drug possession, following B.C.’s lead

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