The Canadian Opioid Crisis: A Closer Peek
Without question, Canada is no stranger to the opioid epidemic, a crisis that has engulfed numerous parts of the world. Over the past years, the destruction caused by this epidemic has intensified beyond the borders of major cities and infiltrating smaller communities.
According to a CBC piece, the city of North Bay, a small community in Ontario, Canada is one such place grappling with the destructive power of this crisis. The impact extends beyond individuals dealing with addiction and permeates virtually all aspects of community life. The opioid crisis has fuelled a surge in crime, it has strained social services and has prompted an increase in homelessness.
Effects of Opioids in North Bay
A report by Dr. Jim Chirico defines the magnitude of the situation. As the medical officer of health for the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit, Dr. Chirico unveiled that the city had a shocking opioid-death rate of 18.1 per 100,000 people in 2017 – almost double the provincial average. This realization started the process of reckoning about the destructiveness of the opioid crisis this small city is facing.
The detrimental impact surpasses the number of deaths. The city is also grappling with a surge in homelessness and rampant crime rates- asking citizens to shoulder heavy social, emotional, and financial costs.
Unprecedented Crime Rates
A review of the crime rates in the city exposes the gravity of the situation. Reports of property crimes in North Bay have almost doubled over the last five years. Moreover, police data pinpoints that the increase in crime aligns distinctly with the bloom of the opioid crisis. Police Chief Scott Tod links this incidence with the desperation associated with opioid addiction.
Homelessness and Social Strain
Homelessness in North Bay has also proliferated alongside opioid-related crime. The numbers from the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board reveal that emergency shelter use soared by 20% from 2015 to 2019. Furthermore, a local shelter is continually at overcapacity, with approximately 150 to 200 people on their waitlist.
Counteracting the Opioid Menace
For a city of just over 50,000, these disruptions are not negligible, and they mandate attention. Local organizations in North Bay have risen to the occasion – implementing several measures to combat these effects and help those who are most vulnerable. Here are some of the key responses observed and reported:
- Funding for the “Out of The Cold” program, an overnight shelter program to provide a safe place for people experiencing homelessness during the winter months.
- Initiation of Project SHARE, a collaborative program bringing together multiple community organizations with the goal of assisting people who are homeless and struggling with substance abuse get into housing and maintain their tenancy.
- Provision of naloxone, a life-saving drug that can reverse an opioid overdose, by community health centres and pharmacies. The aim is to minimize the number of opioid-related deaths.
- Initiation of the Canadian Opioid Abatement Class Action, a lawsuit aimed at holding pharmaceutical companies accountable for their role in the opioid crisis.
These efforts underscore the depth of the crisis. They are also a testament to the city’s endurance and its communal drive to turn things around.
Conclusion: Hope Amid the Crisis
While North Bay and indeed Canada’s opioid crisis is a worrying reality, it is not a hopeless one. Tackling the opioid menace requires combined and ongoing efforts from healthcare providers, government officials, law enforcement agencies, and community members. The commitment to addressing homelessness, expanding naloxone access, and pursuing the Canadian opioid abatement class action are proactive steps in the right direction.
The challenges may be many and significant, but they are not insurmountable. It is ultimately through understanding, compassion, resilience, and mobilized community action that we shall overcome the grip of the opioid crisis.
