Sault addictions group wants funding for overdose crisis, not downtown plaza
A group of community advocates plan to gather outside Sault Ste. Marie city hall to demand action on the continuing overdose crisis in the city.
They are specifically taking issue with the city's plans for a new downtown plaza.
While they are aware municipalities do not have jurisdiction over healthcare, members of Addictions and Mental Health Advocates said they want city council to secure more money from the province to deal with the overdose crisis -- rather than the downtown plaza.
"We have seen so much about this big plaza that our city fathers are trying to raise money for, and we think it's time that they advocate for our city's issues with addiction and mental health," said group founder Donna DeSimon. "We're on the frontlines all the time. We are seeing so many deaths."
DeSimon said many of the community members they serve are feeling left out on account of the plaza development.
However, Sault Ste. Marie Mayor Christian Provenzano said the city continues to fight for funding to solve the overdose problem.
"One doesn't take away from the other," said Provenzano. "Us doing the plaza project does not diminish the effort we're putting into trying to get more resources in our community to deal with the mental health and addiction crisis. I understand why people might perceive it that way, it's just not actually the case."
However, Provenzano said he feels some measure of responsibility for not securing more healthcare dollars.
"I take personal responsibility for the fact that as a municipality, we have not been able to get the funds we need to provide the care our community needs," he said. "I own that. I'm partly responsible for that. And I'll continue to work until the end of my term to do that."
The provincial government has committed $3.8 billion over 10 years to address gaps in addiction services. DeSimon said action is needed now.
"We don't have 10 years," she said. "We're wiping out a generation already. The 21 to 44 ... we're wiping it out. There goes our future ... Sad to say."
DeSimon said other grassroots organizations will be joining Addictions and Mental Health Advocates at city hall Oct. 25, with the demonstration set to begin before city council meets that afternoon.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.