Expansion of Naloxone to Police and Fire Services

The Ministry of Health and Long Term Care announced last week that the lifesaving drug Naloxone will be made available to police and fire services through the Ontario Naloxone Program. New Ontario data is showing a continued increase in opioid related deaths, of which there were 336 in Ontario from May to July 2017, compared with 201 during the same time period in 2016, representing a 68% increase.

From January to November 2017, in the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark area, there have been 436 emergency room visits related to opioids, compared to 390 in 2016. Naloxone (Narcan) is the drug used to temporarily reverse an opioid overdose. After Naloxone is given, further medical attention is needed in the hospital. First responders, such as firefighters and police, are often first on the scene for medical emergencies, and therefore it will be valuable for first responders to carry Naloxone. The Gananoque Police Service, Brockville Police Service, and Smiths Falls Police Service, as well as the Gananoque Fire Service, had purchased their own Naloxone earlier this year in response to the opioid crisis, and have already been trained by the Health Unit to administer it. The Health Unit will continue to provide training and start to distribute Naloxone to eligible fire and police services as requested. The eligible police and fire services are:

-Any fulltime, composite, or volunteer fire services

-Northern and first nations fire departments

-Municipal Police officers

-First nations constables

-Ontario Provincial Police (OPP)

For more information call the Health Action Line 1-800660-5853 or visit www.healthunit.org/harmreduction. You can also connect with LGL Health Unit on Facebook.

Upcoming Meetings

COUNCIL

Monday, January 8 at 6:30 pm in the Council Chambers at the Municipal Centre.

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

Monday, January 15 at 6:30 pm in the Council Chambers at the Municipal Centre.

HOLIDAY SCHEDULE CHANGES

• Municipal Administration Offices - Closed December 25 thru January 1

• Public Library – Closed December 25, 26 & 30 and January 1

• Waste Transfer Station – Closed December 26, 27 & 28

• Garbage/Recycling Collection – Delayed by a day for the weeks beginning December 25 and January 1

• Facility and Ice Rentals MUST be booked by Friday, December 22. The arena staff will not be taking any new bookings during the office shutdown.

WINTER PARKING RESTRICTIONS

Winter parking restrictions came into effect on November 15 and last through April 15. While restrictions are in effect, parking on Municipal roads is not allowed between 11:00 pm and 8:00 am. A vehicle which is parked in a manner interfering with snow clearing or removal operations may be issued a ticket and/or removed at the owner’s expense.

The Municipality of North Grenville 285 County Rd. 44, PO Box 130, Kemptville, ON K0G 1J0 Tel: 613-258-9569 Fax: 613-258-9620 general@northgrenville.on.ca

Building: 613-258-9569 x130 Fax: 613-258-1441

Fire Services Info: 613-258-9569 x201 Fax: 613-258-1031

By-Law Services: 613-258-9569 x206

Police Administration: 613-258-3441 Animal Control: 613-862-9002 www.NorthGrenville.ca about turning around a café that was losing money for the YWCA. She outlined how her organization closed the café and opened a catering business called “At The Table”. It quickly became successful, so using the catering proceeds, they renovated and then re-opened the café. They almost exclusively employ women who are staying at the YWCA. The women gain work experience, employment skills, and small business experience, so that they can eventually go out to pursue their own careers, or open their own businesses.

The final presentation was from Brandon Hebor of Ripple Farms Inc., who had a unique process of aquaponics to tell everyone about. They use a metal shipping container filled with water and Tilapia (yes the fish) to somehow provide the energy needed to grow leafy vegetables in a greenhouse on top of the shipping container. It’s a truly remarkable process, and his organization has been asked to make presentations around the world about it. Brandon believes that, by using this process, there would, potentially, no longer be a need to ship produce thousands of kilometres, but instead it can be grown right here on Canadian soil using this system.

Most people are unaware of it, but the Two Rivers Food Hub in Smith’s Falls is a social enterprise that is managed by Kemptville resident Bruce Enloe. A fine example of the social enterprise model for local food, Two Rivers’ mandate is to support small and medium-sized farmers in and around Lanark, and Leeds and Grenville counties. Two Rivers offers a wide range of facilities and services for farmers and producers, such as a commercial kitchen for food processing, storage for root vegetables, and wholesale services (where they sell to restaurants and institutions what they buy from local farmers and producers) to name just a few.

With such a successful example as the Two Rivers

Food Hub just down the road, and various other examples of successful and innovative social enterprises, it’s not difficult to imagine the significant impact that they could have in creating, solidifying, or enhancing a thriving local food system. What’s your idea?