Belleville seeks provincial help after 17 overdoses in 24 hours

Officials in Belleville, Ont. they want the province to step up after 17 suspected drug overdoses in the city center in the past 24 hours.

“This is a very sad story. This is not the first incident and it won't be the last,” Mayor Neil Ellis said in a February 7 press release.

“Like many municipalities across the province and country, we have a serious drug, addiction and mental health crisis in our city. We need the support of the provincial government on how we can move forward with this crisis.”

Noting that the crisis is not isolated to his municipality of 55,000 but is part of a “provincial and federal problem,” Ellis said Belleville wants to be part of a bigger plan. rehabilitation.

In the meantime, the mayor added that the police and emergency services in his municipality are “working 24 hours a day” and “putting a huge amount of municipal resources into this problem every day.”

In this Oct. 22, 2018, file photo, a fentanyl user holds a needle in Philadelphia. (David Maialetti/Philadelphia Inquirer via AP, File)

On Tuesday afternoon, local police advised residents and visitors to “use caution and avoid unnecessary travel” to the city center after several calls about suspected drug overdoses in less than an hour.

In a press release from the Belleville Police Service (BPS), emergency responders responded to 13 overdoses, saying the incident “requires increased vigilance and awareness in affected areas.”

“The safety and well-being of our community members and emergency responders remains a top priority, and the Bellville Police Department encourages people to avoid areas where emergency personnel are actively engaged in assisting those in need,” police said.

A number of roads in the area were closed but have since reopened.

Carl Bowker, CEO of Hastings-Quinte Paramedic Services, told CP24.com they responded to 13 suspected opioid-related calls Tuesday afternoon, but within two and a half hours.

He said most of those calls involved “unconscious patients” and added that nine people were taken to hospital as a “high priority”.

No casualties were reported, Bowker said in a written statement.

“The sudden spike in call volume quickly overwhelmed paramedics, police and firefighters and road closures to ensure EMS and fire could respond smoothly,” he said, adding that late last year they experienced a “similar spike with GHB-laced fentanyl.” Not responding to Narcan,” also known as naloxone.

“There were several other opioid-related calls that evening and one (Wednesday) morning. However, nothing compares to the volume that happened in that short period of time,” Bowker said.

Last November, emergency responders were called to 90 suspected overdoses in one week in Bellville, prompting officials to declare a “public emergency.”

Hastings Quinte paramedic chief Carl Bowker speaks at a press conference on February 7 after the city saw 17 drug overdoses in 24 hours. (Photo of the City of Belleville)

Belleville emergency responders responded to 17 suspected overdose calls in the past 24 hours, including 14 between 2 and 4 p.m. yesterday, according to a press conference Wednesday.

Police Chief Mike Callaghan said Tuesday's OD cluster had “put a huge strain on our emergency services as a whole”.

“We're glad there were no injuries during this incident, but we know this problem will continue to grow in our community and across the country,” he said, adding that they called on BPS as they lobbied for solutions. Emergency Services, Public Health and Quinte Health partners to “work together to develop operational scenarios for handling similar incidents to ensure our respective departments are equipped to deal with these situations in the most effective and efficient manner moving forward.”

The OPP's Eastern Region Division warned the public of “a large number of overdoses in the Belleville area and other parts of eastern Ontario” this week in a Jan. 7 X Notice.

“If you or someone you know experiences an overdose, don't hesitate – call 911,” they said, reminding people that the Good Samaritan is protected under the drug overdose law.

Multiple overdose inside #Belville district and other parts of eastern Ontario this week. If you or someone you know may experience an overdose, don't hesitate to call 911. The Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act can protect you. Learn more at https://t.co/3tQC3N8PcV pic.twitter.com/Owpq47grDK

— OPP Eastern Region (@OPP_ER) February 7, 2024

In a written statement to CP24.com, an Ontario Ministry of Health spokesperson said the province is “supportive of the mental health and well-being of all Ontarians,” pointing to the wellness roadmap, a $3.8 billion investment over 10 years. years to “build a modern, world-class mental health and addictions system.”

Hannah Jensen noted that the provincial government has invested $525,000 in addiction services and supports since 2019, including mobile crisis teams, safe beds (short-term accommodation for people in crisis who have been brought to hospitals), opioid agonist therapy, eight new youth recovery centres. , and Rapid Access Addiction Medicine clinics.

He also said that in response to the pandemic's impact on substance use, Ontario is implementing the Addiction Recovery Fund, “a one-time investment of $90 million over three years to increase the capacity of addiction services, adding 500 new addiction treatment beds.”

Jensen further noted that the 2023/2024 budget includes a five percent increase in funding for mental health and substance abuse organizations, including nearly $35 million directed to Belleville.

“The Ministry of Health will also provide funding to health units (part of their global distribution) to improve early warning systems, naloxone, distribution of supplies and harm reduction programmes, including a local drug strategy,” he said.

Dr. Ethan Tumishey, a medical officer at Prince Edward Public Health Hastings, said the increase in drug poisoning rates in the region is due to a “contaminated drug supply” that affects many communities in Ontario.

“We recognize that the risk and rate of drug poisoning is a concern for community members, partners and people who use drugs,” he said in a statement, adding that they are continuing to monitor drug poisoning and working with community partners. prepare for and respond to them.

Tumishei said it was important to recognize that people who use drugs struggle with addiction and have no choice but to use unregulated substances, and that the issue should be approached “with charity and with the goal of identifying and implementing long-term solutions for the community.” »

“We look forward to working with community partners this spring to finalize a Community Drug Strategy that will be implemented over the next three to five years,” he said.

“This strategy aims to identify and implement collaborative solutions for the most pressing problems related to unregulated substances in our community.”

Tumishei also credited emergency responders, hospital and community support workers who are providing emergency drug treatment, and long-term initiatives are underway to address drug use and addiction in the region.

CP24.com has also reached out to the Prime Minister's Office for a response.