Doug Routley said the NDP has plans to appoint a minister of mental health and addictions when the party forms government.
Routley, NDP MLA for Nanaimo-North Cowichan, also said the new government, expected within weeks after a non-confidence vote is predicted to defeat the short-lived Liberal government, will also establish a task force on fentanyl use that will include health officials, addiction experts and police.
Routley assured the approximately 100 parents who attended a student safety meeting on June 19 in Duncan that while it appears nothing is being done to meet the challenge of the growing fentanyl and drug problems in the area and across B.C., good efforts are being made.
“This issue has hit the entire province hard, and while many groups are working hard to deal with it, a lot more resources are needed,” he said.
“Many people don’t know that organizations like the Warmland House go out and collect discarded needles and other related work, as well as many other volunteer and non-profit groups. But it’s still not enough and these groups are being overwhelmed.”
Parents of students and future students from Alexander Elementary School and Cowichan Secondary School were invited to attend the community dialogue and information night at Duncan United Church.
The parents had the opportunity to meet with a number of key community organizations that are working together to address safety issues in the Beverly Alexander neighbourhood.
These organizations include School District 79, the local RCMP detachment, Warmland House, OUR Cowichan Health Network, Canadian Mental Health-Cowichan Branch Youth Outreach, Island Health Discovery Youth and Family Services and Stigma, a local community response group.
The information night was the first of several being planned, with the rest to be scheduled for this fall, in response to the ongoing concerns regarding the street activity and related issues that continue to occur in the neighbourhood.
Katie McLaughlin, communications director for School District 79, said the groups and organizations involved in the meeting will now prepare a report of what was learned, and determine strategies to deal with the issues raised.
“This opportunity was for the parents to talk and feel that they are being heard,” she said.
“It’s part of a broad engagement on safety issues that is being planned, with more to come this fall.”