City to apply for federal ‘drug crisis’ funding

The City of Cranbrook is planning to apply for federal funding to help cover some of the costs it’s incurred as it deals with the overdose crisis.

In a report to Council Monday night, Social Development Coordinator Marcel Germer said the application would be made under Health Canada’s Emergency Treatment Fund.

Among the considerations put forward by the Mayor’s Task Force on Homelessness, if funding is approved – the purchase of a mobile medical van to provide outreach services, development of a mobile drug-testing team, and a designated phone line geared towards overdose calls and response.

Under the guidelines of the application, recipients can receive up to two million dollars in funding.