The overdose crisis continues to roll on, particularly in the City of Vancouver.
Police say in the month of June, 25 people died from illicit overdoses, down from 30 in May.
However, seven died in the first week of July, up from five the week before.
As for the number of overdose calls, Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services says the number in June was down 13 per cent from May, but up a whopping 91 per cent from June last year.
In a statement released Friday morning, Mayor Gregor Robertson put out another call to the provincial government to make the issue a top priority.
“First responders, city, front-line, health and community service workers, and people with lived experience are committed to saving lives 24/7 from fentanyl drug overdose. All of us impacted by the overdose crisis anxiously await the new B.C. government – with their commitment to making the crisis a top priority – taking swift action to ramp up the Four Pillars approach and providing immediate access to addictions treatment, clean opioids and other health supports.”
The city says it’s on track to see more than 400 deaths in 2017, and 1,500 deaths province-wide by the end of this year.