Ontario is setting aside $222 million more dollars over the next three years in an effort to stem the number of opioid-related deaths.

More than 700 health professionals were at Queens Park, urging for the provincial government to declare opioid deaths and overdoses a public health emergency.

Health Minister Eric Hoskins made an announcement, saying that opioid deaths were a “national crisis comprised of literally thousands of individual tragedies.”

Last year 865 people died in Ontario as a result of opioid related overdoses and health professionals say that a lack of resources and data are inhibiting their ability to respond to the crisis.

The money will be going towards developing addiction treatment and services, as well as data collection and a partnership with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health to expand addictions treatment.

These additions will be added to previous commitments that will help ensure more front-line harm-reduction workers, expanding the supply on naloxone and creating new rapid access addiction clinics.

This latest commitment of funds brings to total amount set aside to fight the crisis to $280 million over three years.