December 3rd, 2020

Ford must act on opioid crisis and approve supervised consumption site in Sudbury: MPP West

QUEEN’S PARK - NDP MPP Jamie West said the Ford government must take action now to prevent more opioid-related deaths in Sudbury.

In his member’s statement in the Ontario legislature on Thursday, West said the Ford government must support Public Health Sudbury & District by approving the supervised consumption site in Sudbury they have been working to establish in order to save lives.

“I have stood in this house multiple times trying to bring attention to the opioid crisis that is wreaking havoc on my community of Sudbury.

This isn’t just about bringing awareness to the issue. Something needs to be done to prevent more opioid-related deaths. Opioids impact more than just the individual. Our whole community is hurting.

Luckily, Sudbury has shown that we won’t give up on the fight to end this opioid crisis. Everyday, we’ll fight to save our neighbors, loved ones, and family members.

My city punches above our weight. We are committed to helping those who need help, to helping families heal from these devastating losses, and to moving forward with harm reduction programs. We know that harm reduction programs work to reduce risks, improve health and connect people with necessary services.

Public Health Sudbury & District and their partners have been instrumental in the process of trying to get a supervised consumption site in Sudbury.

The process is going well. Partners are on board. The Sudbury City Council is on board - everyone wants to help our community.

The only hold up is government red tape. The Conservative government must speed up the approval process for a supervised consumption site in Sudbury.

This will ensure that individuals get the help they need. Families in Sudbury are desperate. There are no other similar programs available in the entire North East. We cannot afford to wait for months while more Sudburians die.”