QUEEN’S PARK — Today, MPP Judith Monteith-Farrell (Thunder Bay-Atikokan) responded to the Ford government’s announcement of support for addictions services in Thunder Bay. She released the following statement:
“Members of our community have fought so hard for mental health and addictions services in Thunder Bay. I have been so proud to work with family members who have experienced this crisis and I have been so impressed by their determination.
Unfortunately, many loved ones have died from opioid overdoses in Thunder Bay while Doug Ford waited to provide them help over the last four years.
I recently told Mr. Ford that Thunder Bay had 15 overdose deaths in two days. It should not have taken four years for him to take this first step towards the mental health and addictions beds we need.
There is plenty more this government can do. It can immediately fund a Community-Based Crisis Centre that mental health and addictions stakeholders have called for.
This government also has a habit of making announcements and then not following through. So I pledge to all of the people fighting for mental health and addictions services in Thunder Bay that I will be keeping a close eye on this project and make sure every dollar flows right away.
Families across Thunder Bay deserve access to mental health and addictions services we’ve waited long enough. We cannot let more families be torn apart and more lives lost to the opioid crisis in our community.”
