Mayor Says Belleville in ‘Crisis’ After 17 Overdoses in 24 Hours

Belleville Mayor Neil Ellis speaks at a press conference in Belleville, Ont., on Feb. 7 to address the rise in overdoses in the city's downtown. Handout photo

The mayor of Belleville, a small city in southeastern Ontario, says his community is facing a “crisis” after emergency services responded to 17 drug overdoses in a 24-hour period.

Paramedics and police responded to 14 overdoses in the city’s downtown core between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Feb. 6 and received three additional calls later that day.