Northern communities can now apply for Indigenous overdose response fund

The Pounds Project in Prince George is teaming up with the First Nations Health Authority to oversee the Northern Indigenous Opioid Response Fund.

Up to 20-thousand dollars is available for each eligible northern community to fund creative and low-barrier supports for Indigenous residents who use substances.

Spokesperson, Jordan Stewart told Vista Radio the illicit drug crisis continues to decimate our region.

“This overdose epidemic is a real heartbreak. It hits home for everybody in small communities and nobody knows what a community needs better than its members.”

She added the crisis continues to disproportionally impact our Indigenous population.

“Indigenous people in BC are dying at a rate nearly six times higher from overdoses than the general population. That is especially true in the northern region and this fund is meant to support work and projects that are community-led, community-driven.”

Some projects that meet the funding eligibility requirements include creating employment opportunities for people who use substances as well as any groups looking to establish on-call monitoring.

Stewart mentioned they are looking to support between 10 and 20 successful applications and will be reviewed and accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis until the fund is exhausted.