Belleville, a city in eastern Ontario, is facing a serious drug crisis that has claimed several lives and overwhelmed the local health and social services. The mayor of Belleville, Neil Ellis, has declared an addiction emergency and asked the provincial government to provide funding for a health hub that would offer comprehensive support for people struggling with substance use and mental health issues. However, the province has not yet committed to the funding request, leaving the city to consider alternative options.
Overdose emergency in Belleville
The drug crisis in Belleville reached a critical point on Feb. 6, 2024, when emergency crews responded to 17 drug overdoses in just 24 hours. Two days later, the number of suspected drug poisonings rose to 23, prompting the mayor to declare a local state of emergency. According to police, the overdoses were caused by a batch of drugs contaminated with fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid that can be lethal even in small doses. Police Chief Mike Callaghan said the situation was unprecedented and alarming, and urged the public to avoid using illicit drugs or to carry naloxone, a medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
The overdose emergency in Belleville highlighted the need for more resources and services for people who use drugs and face multiple challenges, such as homelessness, poverty, and mental health problems. Many of these people are unable to access the existing services due to stigma, barriers, or lack of availability. The mayor said the city has been working on a plan to create a centralized hub that would offer a range of supports, such as food, showers, primary health care, substance use treatment, harm reduction, and housing assistance. The hub, which would be called The Bridge, would be located in a former banquet hall that the city has already invested $2 million to renovate.
Funding request for health hub
The mayor said the city needs another $2 million from the province to complete the construction and operation of the health hub, which he hopes to open by the end of the year. He said the hub would be a vital resource for the community and would save lives and money in the long run. He also asked the province to fund a detox centre, which the city currently lacks, to help people who want to quit or reduce their drug use.
The mayor met with Todd Smith, the region’s MPP and a cabinet minister, and Michael Tibollo, the associate minister of mental health and addictions, last week to discuss the funding request. However, he said he was disappointed by the province’s response, which was to ask the city to wait and to formulate a mental health and addictions strategy. He said the province did not commit to the $2 million for the health hub, and said it would be a tough ask. He said the province did provide more than $200,000 in one-time funding to increase the presence of first responders and outreach workers in the downtown area, and to boost the staffing at local support services. But he said that was not enough, and that the city needs more permanent and sustainable solutions.
City considers funding health hub on its own
The mayor said he is not willing to wait for the province to act, and that he will ask the city council to consider funding the health hub on its own. He said the city could use different options, such as a one per cent tax hike, a levy, or long-term debt, to raise the $2 million needed. He said he is confident that the council and the community will support the initiative, and that he will not give up on the project. He said the city has a moral obligation to help the most vulnerable people, and that the health hub is a matter of life and death.
The mayor’s decision to fund the health hub on its own reflects the frustration and urgency that many municipal leaders feel about the drug crisis and the lack of provincial support. Belleville is not the only city in Ontario that is struggling with the impacts of the opioid epidemic, which has worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Public Health Ontario, there were 2,426 opioid-related deaths in the province in 2023, a 60 per cent increase from the previous year. Many experts and advocates have called for more funding and action from the provincial government to address the crisis, such as expanding access to safe supply, supervised consumption sites, and treatment options.
