New Westminster, BC – Today, the Hon. Erin O’Toole, Leader of Canada’s Conservatives, introduced his plan to address the opioid crisis as a national emergency and help Canadians struggling with addiction. Every day, 17 Canadians die from opioid-related deaths. Since the onset of COVID-19, opioid-related deaths have almost doubled. “Families across this country are mourning lost children, lost parents, lost partners,” said O’Toole. “As Prime Minister, I will treat the opioid epidemic as the urgent health crisis that it is.” To help those struggling with addiction and save lives, Canada’s Recovery Plan will: Invest $325 million over the next three year to create 1,000 residential drug treatment beds and build 50 recovery community centres across the country. Enhance the delivery of culturally appropriate addiction treatment and prevention services in First Nations communities with high needs. Provide $1 billion over five years to boost funding for Indigenous mental health and drug treatment programs. Partner with the provinces to ensure that Naloxone kits are available for free across Canada. Reorient the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy towards ensuring that every person struggling with addiction has the opportunity to recover. “As a country, we must recognize that mental health is health,” O’Toole concluded. “Only Canada’s Conservatives have a plan to make historic investments in mental health and addiction.”