Last night, I attended "Fentanyl in the Community: What You Need to Know", presented by Cpl Brad McIntosh of the RCMP and hosted by the St. Albert Public Library.
I first heard details about the impact of the opioid crisis on St. Albert residents when I sat on the Community Advisory Committee in 2014. I was acutely reminded of the devastation in 2016 when the St. Albert Bereavement Fellowship requested funding through the Community Services Advisory Board, where I sit as vice-chair. The statistics on illegal opioid use have skyrocketed since then.
St. Albert has a role to play in addressing these complex issues through our Community & Social Development department, support for Victim Services, St. Albert Bereavement Fellowship, and the St. Albert Food Bank. When speaking to experts about this crisis, it's clear that solutions are extremely complex and involve collaboration with law enforcement, physicians, mental health professionals, housing and social support agencies, and community.
Our children, friends, and family members are suffering and dying; We need to educate residents and keep these deadly opioids off our streets.
