Portage Hosts the Global Leadership Exchange in Montreal

On June 1, Portage had the privilege of welcoming ten experts from Canada, New Zealand, and the United States to its Montreal facilities as part of the Global Leadership Exchange (GLE) 2026. 

This day of discussions was part of an international dialogue aimed at better understanding how addiction is evolving and at fostering more integrated responses aligned with today’s realities.

Addictions Beyond Traditional Categories 

Today, addictions and at-risk behaviours can no longer be approached in isolation. Substance use, gambling, technology use, video gaming, social media, compulsive shopping, and compulsive sexual behaviours: the boundaries are increasingly blurred, and the issues are becoming more complex. 

As highlighted by Dr. Andrew Kim, Associate Professor at Toronto Metropolitan University, research findings increasingly show that behavioural addictions are driven by mechanisms similar to those involved in substance use disorders. These realities are often interconnected and may coexist within the same individual, amplifying their impact. 

Toward an Integrated Approach to Addiction 

Discussions underscored the importance of adopting a comprehensive, cross-cutting approach that recognizes the intersection between substance use disorders, compulsive behaviours, and mental health. 

Participants emphasized the need to: 

• improve screening for all forms of addictive behaviour 
• further integrate these realities into clinical practice 
• promote coordinated, person-centred interventions 
• strengthen collaboration between health, social services, and research sectors 

These reflections align with a growing consensus: care systems must evolve to reflect the complexity of addiction pathways and offer integrated, tailored treatment approaches. 

A Practice-Grounded Day of Exchange 

In addition to presentations and discussions, participants toured Portage’s Montreal facilities, including Mental Health and Addiction (concurrent disorders) program and the Mother & Child program. 

This immersion highlighted the importance of a holistic approach to care—one that treats the whole person—at the core of Portage’s practices. 

From Ideas to Action 

Throughout the day, exchanges fostered the sharing of expertise, promising practices, and concrete avenues for action to better respond to emerging realities in addiction. The day concluded with a synthesis of key learnings and a discussion of collective next steps. 

An International Effort to Better Meet Needs 

This event demonstrates the importance of international collaboration in advancing practices and strengthening responses to the needs of individuals living with addiction. 

At Portage, the day reinforced a core belief: a deeper understanding of addiction in all its complexity leads to better support for those affected.