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THURSDAY MARCH 17, 2022 AUTOPRO OAKVILLE 2212 Wyecroft Road, Oakville 905-469-2442 info@autoprooakville.com 27 1995 - 2022 ent, ything ou need One Desjardins Agent,Agent, everythingeverythingeverything you needneed CRIME TRAFFIC WEATHER R EA D T H E N EW S A S IT H A PP EN S A T IN SI D EH A LT O N .C O M The following is part two in aThe following is part two in aT four-part Halton series on crime infour-part Halton series on crime inf the region. Next week, see partthe region. Next week, see partt three focusing on frauds andthree focusing on frauds andt scams in the region. Halton police are sounding the alarm as the number of drug overdoses being reported in Oak- ville and across the region con- tinues to soar. The local department says they attended 50 per cent more suspected drug overdose -- or drug poisoning -- calls last year versus 2020, jumping from 241 to 361. This includes opioid and non- opioid overdoses that were both accidental and intentional. There was also a notable in- crease of 37 per cent in how many of those calls turned fatal, with police reporting that 52 Halton residents lost their lives to sus- pected drug poisoning in 2021 -- the first full calendar year of life DRUG OVERDOSES ON THE RISE IN HALTON See PANDEMIC, page 13 POLICE TARGET TRAFFICKERS CONTRIBUTING TO OVERDOSE CRISIS MELANIE HENNESSEY mhennessey@metroland.com Pastor Steve Boose and wife Kathleen run a Nar-Anon group to help those impacted by addiction. Graham Paine/Metroland APPLIANCE SALES AND SERVICE FEATURINGTHE BEST NAMES IN THE BUSINESS ® 476 KERR ST.,OAKVILLE JUST SOUTH OF SPEERS ROAD 905.845.2933 Check out our new website