Whereas Canada is among the top prescribers of opioids in the world, and Ontario has the highest opioid-dispensing rates in the country with nearly two million Ontarians receiving an opioid in 2014 and 2015. This totals approximately nine million dispenses, putting roughly 15 per cent of Ontarians on prescription opioids; and
Whereas the Region of Waterloo and City of Cambridge continue to be in a state of crisis seeing rises in suspected opioid overdoses; and
Whereas in Waterloo Region, paramedics said they responded to 39 overdoses from June 27 to July 3, 2021, with 11 of those calls on July 2. As of June 4, the region had reported 49 suspected opioid-related deaths; and
Whereas the pandemic may also be playing a big role in increased opioid overdoses and deaths. A national report in October 2020 found the overall health of Canadians deteriorated during the first eight months of the pandemic and showed more people turned to drugs, alcohol, tobacco and screen time rather than physical exercise to cope with the stress; and
Whereas in an effort to prevent overdose deaths, there is a need for increased awareness, education and training to utilize naloxone kits to assist in preventing overdoses and deaths in our community; and
Whereas Naloxone is proven effective at reversing potentially fatal overdoses and many municipalities have begun to include these kits in public facilities as an emergency option in a community with a significant opioid abuse problem; and
Whereas the City of Cambridge can join the leadership we are seeing in other Ontario Municipalities and implement the supply of Naloxone kits in all publicly accessible, city-owned buildings that currently have defibrillators, including arenas and community centres; and
Therefore, be it resolved that Council direct staff to report back by the end of 2021 with an implementation plan to have two Naloxone kits available in all publicly accessible, city owned facilities that currently have defibrillators in them;
And that staff include in the implementation plan an analysis on the costs associated with providing training to use the kits, an awareness campaign for the facilities that will have the kits and a procedure that addresses how to maintain kits within a City Facilities; and
That correspondence be sent to the Region of Waterloo, Association of Municipalities of Ontario and to the Hon. Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario and the Hon. Christine Elliot, Minister of Health outlining a request that the Provincial government mandate Naloxone kits in all public institutions across Ontario.