PRINCE GEORGE – Yesterday, the Minister for Mental Health and Addictions announced $132 million in funding for treatment and recovery.
“When a person living with addiction is ready to take a step toward recovery, we must ensure services are available when and where they need them,” said Sheila Malcolmson, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions.
Locally, the RCMP has been calling for treatment in tandem with harm reduction for years.
“Yeah. Very excited to hear the news after several years of, really, nothing in the area of treatment,” says Supt Shaun Wright. “At least nothing of a large-scale implementation up in the north here. Yeah, very pleased to hear that. I think over the last three or four years, as overdose numbers have continued to go up, it’s very evident that harm reduction in isolation has really perpetuated that issue and made things worse and needs to be implemented in combination with other approaches.”
Specifically, the government has earmarked money for a sobering centre in Prince George, something Supt Wright has been pushing for since becoming the superintendent in 2019. And he hopes that centre can address gaps.
“The first is, obviously, that it’s going to be a place where people under the influence of alcohol or drugs can go and sober up without being in police custody and, maybe can receive some medical treatment they wouldn’t otherwise receive. The other aspect I am eagerly awaiting to hear news on is whether it’ going to be a gateway for referrals and admissions into treatment in a more direct route and at a point when people are seeking those services.”
But the question remains: when will it all happen?
