The province set another record for overdose deaths last month and while the Horgan government is calling on the federal government to decriminalize opioids, one Kamloops MLA thinks more needs to be done.

Kamloops-South Thompson Liberal Todd Stone was on the NL Morning News and said recovery resources from the province just aren’t keeping up with the need. He says he thinks it boils down to resources and priorities.

Stone asked where the plan was ‘to insure that British Columbians have access to the mental health and addictions support that they need.’

“There isn’t one,” Stone said. “They have a stand alone ministry, the Ministry of Mental Health and Addiction that has no money in it. They only money in that ministry is to cover the salaries and the administration in the Minister’s office.”

He said funding actually comes from another branch of government, the Ministry of Health.

“Well I think it’s pretty clear to everyone that walk down west Victoria Street, very clear to everyone there are not enough supports in place,” he noted.

“At the end of the day not only are people who need the help not able to get better, they go into these transition supportive housing facilities and they drop out, but the neighbours in the surrounding area are terrified to walk out of their doors on many days.”

“Talk to small business owners along that stretch and they’ll tell you they’re sick and tired of being broken into every day and having fires next to their building and rocks thrown through their windows and feeling that their staff and customers should feel unsafe coming into their place of business, I mean it’s just got to stop.”

Stone says the current way of doing things is not sustainable and there isn’t enough attention to the recovery side to “make sure addicts can engage with a program the works for their unique circumstance and will help them get better in the long run.”