Documentary on opioid, overdose crisis in Sault Ste. Marie airs this weekend

A documentary about Sault Ste. Marie, set to premiere during the final weekend of Bon Soo, promises to be quite the opposite of celebratory.

Steel Town Down: Overdose Crisis In The Soo will feature “revealing interviews with addiction counsellors, paramedics, harm reduction workers, and local residents struggling with their own addictions,” according to a CTV media release.

The hour-long documentary – the result of a partnership between W5 and Vice Canada – will be broadcast nationally on W5 Saturday night at 7 p.m.  

In an email to SooToday, Sault Ste. Marie Mayor Christian Provenzano said that while he has not seen the documentary, and is “not able to judge whether it is” in fact a crisis, he is of the belief that “we have to listen to our front line workers.”   

“I did have a meeting with Desiree Beck from GHC scheduled the week the documentary crew was in Sault Ste. Marie. That was my first meeting with Desiree and she was very honest with her opinions and perspectives about the opioid epidemic in Sault Ste. Marie. She certainly painted a very stark picture and I accepted what she told me as accurate,” Provenzano said.

“Until that meeting, I had no reason to believe that it was any different here than it was anywhere else in Northern Ontario.”

In April 2017, a town hall public information session – in which attendees heard from a panel of experts consisting of city police, local health care professionals and Drug Strategy Committee chair Desiree Beck – focused on need for and proper use of naloxone, a medication which blocks the effects of opioids in the case of an overdose.

This past November, police issued a new release advising the public of “an increase in calls for service regarding possible drug overdoses.” The release followed a night where police, fire services and paramedics responded to eight separate calls regarding overdoses in the city.

Provenzano stated that he has since spoken with Sault Area Hospital CEO Ron Gagnon, who has “confirmed that we do have a very significant problem here,” and that he is supporting the hospital’s efforts to increase its capacity and infrastructure for “withdrawal management, mental health and addiction services.”

“There is a Sault Area Hospital project that will be before Council at our next meeting, where we will be asking for Council's endorsement and support,” said Provenzano. “I have committed to Mr. Gagnon that I will assist him in lobbying the province for the necessary permission and funding.”

“Independent of whether or not it is worse here than it is elsewhere, the fundamental issue is that it is a critical problem affecting many people in our community from those who are dependent on opioids, to their families, friends and front line works,” he continued.

“I want to recognize the very difficult challenge that all of these people face, the support that they need and our front line workers for their tremendous efforts.”

The premiere of Steel Town Down: Overdose Crisis In The Soo will also be live streamed on both Vice Canada and W5 Twitter accounts Feb. 10.