Owen Sound city hall. (photo by Claire McCormack)
Owen Sound is taking a look at potentially joining in a class action lawsuit against manufacturers and distributors of opioid products.
The city received a letter from law firm Napoli Shkolnik Canada inviting Owen Sound to participate in a class action lawsuit that “seeks to recover damages incurred to abate the opioid crisis that has affected communities throughout Canada.”
The letter from the firm says the primary goal of the class action is to secure compensation “from opioid manufacturers and distributors who have played a significant role in the proliferation of this devastating epidemic.”
Napoli Shkolnik Canada says it aims to establish a fund for opioid abatement programs that are specifically designed for and managed by Canadian municipalities.
Owen Sound council directed staff at Monday night’s meeting to complete a questionnaire from the firm, and to look at further information regarding any class action regarding opioids.
“It’s not binding the corporation to participate in the class action, it’s simply completing the questionnaire,” says Owen Sound City Manager Tim Simmonds. “And then hopefully giving us access to information that comes about through their class action on how that moves forward.”
According to the law firm, more than 34,400 people died in Canada between January 2016 and September 2022 from opioids. More than $4-billion of prescription opioids were sold in Canada between 2010-17, they say.
Locally, there’s been 11 emergency department visits related to opioids in Grey Bruce in the first few months of 2023. Public Health says there were 101 last year, which was down from 131 in 2021.
Suspected drug-related deaths also declined in Grey Bruce last year. The Health Unit says there were 34 in 2022, down from 46 in 2021 and 40 in 2020.