Next week's B.C. budget could bring $1B for mental health and addictions: report

B.C.'s NDP government will deliver its 2023 budget next Tuesday, the first with David Eby at the helm – and a new report suggests there will be big spending on mental health and addictions.

Business in Vancouver reports a billion-dollar plan is coming, and it will provide more treatment and recovery beds, as well as an elimination of user fees.

Premier David Eby said it was an area of "vital importance" when asked about the funding Tuesday.

"We believe mental health and addiction services are part of a public health-care system and work to expand those services for British Columbians will continue," he told reporters at the legislature.

B.C. was the first province with a supervised injection site, overdose prevention places, and to decriminalize small amounts of street drugs. Still, the province is leading the country in toxic drug deaths. More than 11,000 people have died sinc e public health emergency was declared in 2016.

Deb Bailey's daughter Izzy died of an overdose in 2015. She says for years, advocates, the chief coroner, and other experts have asked for the same things -- access to safer supply, and a more robust and regulated treatment and recovery system.

"I worry about those not in treatment, not in recovery, who go back to the streets and buy toxic drugs and die," she told CTV News in an interview.

PLAN SIMILAR TO LIBERAL STRATEGY?

Earlier this month, Liberal Leader Kevin Falcon unveiled a $1.5 billion plan that he called a "radical shift." One that included free treatment, and more beds across the province.

Liberal critic Shirley Bond said it appeared the government was 'scrambling' to get the plan approved.

"People have been losing their lives. So, when we look at the opioid crisis in this province it's about time the government actually did something," Bond said.

Eby didn't comment directly on the similarities between the Liberals' proposal and the leaked NDP plan. For weeks, he's fielded criticism from the Opposition that the NDP is too focused on harm reduction, and not enough on ensuring immediate access to treatment for those who want and need it.

"The goal is always to get people into treatment, to get them the opportunity to restart their lives. The fact that we have alignments on that with the BC Liberals across the aisle is very good news," Eby added.

With two very similar strategies -- whether any of the ideas are borrowed perhaps a moot point. Nearly seven years into the crisis -- both sides of the aisle have fielded criticism of not treating the overdose crisis -- like the emergency it is.