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By Brady Ratzlaff

City gets $75,000 to tackle opioid crisis

Apr 5, 2018 | 4:31 PM

The Government of Alberta has announced 29 projects have been given a chunk of money to continue to fight the ongoing opioid crisis.
 
The City of Grande Prairie received $75,000 of a $1.4-million total amount for community awareness programs. 

The money will go towards education and public awareness sessions.

According to the Associate Minister of Health Brandy Payne, the crisis affects a large array of people. In the first six weeks of 2018, 74 people in Alberta have died as a result of opioid-related overdoses.
 
“Substance abuse is claiming the lives of men and women in the inner city, inner suburbs and in rural Alberta. We are losing mothers, fathers, and children. We can’t ignore this crisis and we’re working hard with our community partners to save lives,” said Associate Minister of Health Brandy Payne.

 According to Alberta’s Opioid and Substance Misuse Report, there were 26 deaths in 2017 in Grande Prairie related to fentanyl overdose compared to 10 in 2016. Last year, Grande Prairie had the highest rate of apparent drug poisoning deaths related to fentanyl in Alberta. 

“I’m excited to see how these unique projects spark conversation and understanding around this public health crisis that continues to impact every community. We, in both the health ministry and on the opioid commission, know the importance of really listening to the stories of people with lived experience so that we can take meaningful action on the ground and help families and Albertans,” said Dr. Karen Grimsrud, co-chair of the Minister’s Opioid Emergency Response Commission, in a media release.

Out of the $1.4-million being provided by the province, $220,000 will be for projects in northern Alberta.

 

 

by Brady Ratzlaff