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Woodstock Businesses in Midst of Crisis

Friday, 24 May 2024 at 11:25

By Kyle Freel X @KFreelHeartFM

Ontario is seeing a rise in substance abuse and overdoses, and it is hitting businesses in Woodstock.

WOODSTOCK - A provincial crisis is being felt right here in Woodstock.

There has been a rise in substance abuse and overdoses across Ontario, and the businesses in the Friendly City have seen it. President of the Woodstock and District Chamber of Commerce, Ifhan Hudda says how it has hit Woodstock.

"Here at the Chamber we have gotten so much communication from our local businesses, many of them that are small and medium-sized enterprises. They've been placed at the frontlines of this addiction crisis, and they are just not equipped to address it."

Hudda says businesses in Woodstock are struggling with the rising cost of security and the decrease in customer traffic. Hudda has this message for the businesses of the Friendly City.

"We at the Chamber support our local businesses. We want to ensure that they know that there is a solution that is trying to be developed."

The Woodstock Chamber is working with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, which released a policy. The policy aims to simplify the complex narrative surrounding substance use, bridge the knowledge gap between stakeholders, and underscore the need for evidence-based, community-informed solutions that prioritize public health principles, prevent mortality, and improve recovery outcomes.

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