Health care workers appealing to province to declare opioid emergency

A group of more than 700 doctors, nurses, harm reduction workers and other health care professionals are asking the province to declare opioid overdoses and deaths an emergency in Ontario.

A formal request was made in an open letter that was released Monday bringing attention to a “disturbing” spike in drug overdoses.

The letter was addressed to Premier Kathleen Wynne and her cabinet saying a declaration would allow for an increase in funding to harm reduction workers, overdose prevention sites and more opioid related programs and services.

Wynne’s staff said they planned to meet with workers who delivered the letter to Queen’s Park.