Premier Doug Ford and cabinet ministers being in Timmins is proof that the government is looking for a solution for polysubtance and alcohol-related issues, says Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Michael Tibollo.
After the Throne Speech yesterday morning, Ford, Tibollo, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Vic Fedeli, Minister of Colleges and Universities Ross Romano, and Minister of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Minister of Indigenous Affairs Greg Rickford flew to Timmins.
Following a tour of Timmins and District Hospital, Ford and the ministers took questions from reporters. Later in the evening, the Premier was on hand to confirm that Mayor George Pirie will be the PC candidate in the June 2022 provincial election.
At the hospital, one of the topics Ford and Tibollo took questions on was the opioid crisis.
Recently, the City of Timmins committed over $1 million to fund a temporary safe injection site, called an Urgent Public Health Needs Site (UPHNS).
The UPHNS is a temporary solution and would bridge the gap while the Timmins and Area Drug Strategy group works toward a supervised consumption site, which could take two to three years to work through the approvals.
While the permanent site has a funding stream, the UPHNS does not.
Ford said he supports the city's decision.
“But you know what I support more? I support rehabilitation, that’s what I believe in. Beds and heads — that’s what we call it — infrastructure. Making sure they have a place to go when they call out for help and that’s what I want to focus on,” he said.
Tibollo said the polysubstance crisis is a serious concern for the government.
He talked about the need to build a continuum of care and talking to hospitals about how they're going to play a role in consumption treatment and overall withdrawal management, which he said is "extremely important and something that’s desperately needed in Timmins."
Tibollo acknowledged that consumption and treatment sites are part of harm reduction, but said it's not the answer to the problem.
"The solution is giving people care when they need it, so when they ask for help there’s a place for them,” he said.
He said the province has committed $525 million in annualized funding for people with mental health and addictions.
"The consumption treatment site is something that is obviously of interest and it’s something that’s been expressed to me as well that with the investment the municipality is presently making eventually there will be a consumption and treatment site. Funding is available for that through the provincial government.
"But more important than just a consumption and treatment site is the creation of that continuum of care. We recently announced an RFP and we have received proposals from this area as well that will look to building that continuum care, which is treatment beds. Now this is money that has already been allocated through the Roadmap to Wellness and those investments will be forthcoming,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Tibollo said he had met with Dr. Julie Samson and Dr. Louisa Marion-Bellemare, who are leading the local efforts on addressing the opioid crisis.
Tibollo said they are "absolute rockstars" and noted this week's meeting is the second time they've met in 60 days.
The group being at the hospital this week, he said, is proof that the province is working to "build a solution that’s not one-size-fits-all."
