Eighteen B.C. communities are set to receive funding for specialized “community action teams” to address the ongoing opioid overdose epidemic.
, B.C. Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Judy Darcy announced Thursday that the province was committing $1.5 million to the project.
“Each community action team will play a crucial role in targeting resources where they are needed most on the ground in their communities,” Darcy said in a news release. “This is critical to saving lives and connecting people to treatment and recovery.”
The province said the money aims to address the unsafe drug supply, provide “pro-active support,” and increase access to harm reduction materials and naloxone.
The communities set to receive funding are:
- Vancouver
- Richmond
- PowellRiver
- Surrey
- Langley
- Abbotsford
- MapleRidge
- Chilliwack
- Victoria
- CampbellRiver
- Nanaimo
- Duncan
- PortAlberni
- Kelowna
- Kamloops
- Vernon
- PrinceGeorge
- FortStJohn
More to come
Judy Darcy says it's heartwarming to see communities come together to address the OD crisis. Proud of first responders helping in "every conceivable way"
— Kelvin🐙Gawley (@KelvinGawley)