“If today is an average day, four more people will die.”
That was B.C. Premier John Horgan talking about the opioid crisis at the UBCM convention on Friday, as he outlined a plan that has $322 million in new funding over three years that is designed to “help communities in crisis.”
Much of the new funding — $31.3 million over three years — is being devoted to law enforcement efforts and drug investigations to stop the supply of fentanyl and protect public safety. But that’s set to change when a plan for all the funding is announced.
Coverage of the opioid crisis in B.C.:
The money will support new anti-trafficking teams for the provincial RCMP as well as the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU-BC).
“This puts more boots on the ground to go after, arrest and prosecute dangerous and violent drug traffickers to disrupt the drug supply line in communities,” said a news release.
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The money set aside for law enforcement will also fund proejcts to target drug traffickers in an effort to cut off the flow of fentanyl into the province.
More money will also go to the BC Coroners Service so that it can expand its Drug-Death Investigations Team, in an effort to reduce a backlog of cases.
But not all the new funding will be heading toward law enforcement and investigations.
It will also support a “Community Crisis Innovation Fund” that will help to come up with new measures to fight addiction such as early-intervention or community-based prevention programs.
The funding will also help to set up community treatment facilities in cities including as Vancouver, Burnaby, Langley, Abbotsford, Chilliwack and Mission.
Funding details for this initiative, however, are “still being finalized.”
All told, the spending announcements totalled just over $62 million. But that number will change when all the funding plans are laid out in full.
When that happens, as much as $290 million will likely end up devoted to health initiatives, said the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions.
Here’s what the province has committed to from the $322 million:
Law enforcement: $31.3 million over three years
- New anti-trafficking units inside the RCMP and the CFSEU-BC
- Resources for projects to target drug traffickers and cut off the supply of fentanyl
- More money for the BC Coroners Service to expand its Drug-Death Investigation Team to reduce backlog and handle an increased workload and lab tests
Community crisis action fund ($15 million): $3 million in 2017-18; $6 million in 2018-19; $6 million in 2019-20
- A fund that will help to introduce new prevention and harm-reduction measures and treatment approaches
Public awareness ($6.74 million): $2 million in 2017-18; $2.37 million in 2018-19; $2.37 million in 2019-20
- A public awareness campaign focused on men aged 30 to 60 years old — the group that is most at risk of an opioid overdose — that will also work to lower the stigma around addiction
- The province is working on this in conjunction with WorkSafeBC, the B.C. Restaurant and Food Services Association and BC Building Trades Council
Better access to naloxone kits ($6 million): $2 million in 2017-18; $2 million in 2018-19; $2 million in 2019-20
- Establish new naloxone distribution sites at pharmacies around the province
- Supports a goal of ensuring that people who use opioids or are likely to respond to overdoses can access free kits at pharmacies by the end of 2017
First-responder support ($3.4 million): $1.7 million in 2018-19; $1.7 million in 2019-20
- Funding to support the work of the Mobile Response Team, which trains and supports staff and volunteers with organizations that respond to overdoses
Community treatment facilities (funding details not specified)
- Money to support better and quicker access to medication treatments for opioid addictions
- Health authorities are looking to expand and open new addiction clinics in Vancouver, Burnaby, Langley, Abbotsford, Chilliwack and Mission