Event in the Sault remembers victims of opioid crisis

An evening of remembrance took place Wednesday in Sault Ste. Marie to mark International Overdose Awareness Day.

Hundreds gathered at an event held by Save Our Young Adults (SOYA.)

Those on hand spent time grieving and gaining strength from others that have also lost loved ones to overdose.

SOYA founder Connie Raynor-Elliott said that's what her group is all about.

“Our motto is ‘you’re not alone,’" Raynor-Elliott said.

"As you can tell, we are many. It is, it’s very emotional, because all of a sudden one moment you’re talking to your loved one on the phone, and the next thing you know you’re filling out an application to put their name on the wall.”

That wall is the Memorial Wall at the Sault's Civic Centre. It's filled with the names of people who died of drug overdoses.

Another way of honouring those lost is by etching their names on stones at the base of the wall.

Unfortunately, names are regularly being added.

More than 100 people died in the Algoma District in the last year as a result of drug overdose, many due to the rise in opioid use.

“This has been the single most critical issue that’s been in front of the city," said Sault Mayor Christian Provenzano.

"City council has been lobbying aggressively at both levels of government to get the resources that we need to provide care in our community. And we want to make a very clear statement that people that are suffering with mental health and addiction issues, they need health care.”

Raynor-Elliott said a top priority should be to fund the recently closed Day Treatment Centre.

The SOYA founder also said more public awareness is needed on opioids.