After back-to-back record-breaking months of illicit drug overdose deaths, the B.C. government is increasing funding for overdose prevention.
An additional $10.5 million will “accelerate the response to an increasingly toxic illicit drug supply due to COVID-19,” the province said in a news release on Tuesday.
The funding will be used to open 17 new supervised consumption services and 12 new inhalation services, as well as to expand access to prescription alternatives.
“There have been devastating consequences for people who use substances during dual public health emergencies,” Mental Health and Additions Minister Judy Darcy said.
“Last month saw a record number of lives lost to overdose — all the more heart-breaking since before COVID-19, we had managed to bring deaths down for the first time. The illicit drug supply is more toxic than ever before.”
Paramedics in B.C. responded to more than 2,700 overdoses in July after receiving more overdose calls last month than any other month in history.
The highest number of calls came from Vancouver with 551, following by Surrey at 231 and Victoria with 101.
And in June, B.C. recorded a record 175 deaths from illicit drug overdoses, surpassing the previous high of 171 in May. That’s compared to 10 people who died because of the coronavirus that month.
Forty-two new full-time registered nurses, psychiatric nurses, social workers and peer support workers will also be added to 14 outreach teams throughout B.C. to help connect people to treatment and recovery supports.