In a city thatâs been hit hard by Ontarioâs opioid epidemic, things are going to get a little tougher for the organizations that help the communityâs most vulnerable.
Brant Family and Childrenâs Aid Society CEO Andy Koster says that 25 union positions and an undetermined amount of managers will be let go as of April 1 as the society is forced to cut $1.7 million.
Under the previous provincial government, a new childrenâs aid society was put into place. While the funding formula for agencies like the Brant Family and Childrenâs Aid Society didnât change, the total available dollars did.
Itâs unwelcome news, as the organization tries to keep up with unprecedented numbers of cases due to opioids.
âIâve never seen anything approaching this,â Koster told CTV Kitchener.
In 2017 Brantford and the surrounding County of Brant saw the highest hospital admissions due to opioids in the province. And while newly formed task forces have helped lower opioid rates below the provincial average, it remains an issue.
Koster says that one in four of the agencyâs cases is the direct result of opioids, with several of the affected children addicted at birth and older children bearing the scars of their parentâs drug use and possible deaths.
With more than 400 open cases and limited foster homes, the cuts will make an already difficult situation even worse.
âI realize thereâs always efficiencies to be made, but when I see drastic cuts like this that are going to affect the lives of these kids that are already in trouble, I find that really hard to take,â Koster said.
âThe Ministry can say âdo these cuts,â but I have to live with the consequences of my actions.â