Premier Christy Clark has not kept a pre-election promise to add 500 beds for addiction treatment, according to the NDP.

A freedom-of-information request filed by the Official Opposition and revealed by CBC News shows that there has actually been a 25 percent drop in "youth substance use beds" since 2012-13.

These numbers from the Ministry of Health have been released in the midst of a devastating outbreak of fentanyl-related overdoses across the province. 

“We’ve been watching this deadly spike in fentanyl use and fatal overdoses since 2013, yet addiction services and access to treatment beds have not kept pace with the crisis,” NDP Leader John Horgan said in a news release. “Where has the Clark government been for the past two years? Why is our provincial government unable to meet the needs of people and families desperate to find help when it comes to opioid addiction?

“Today, I heard from people who have seen the devastating effects of this drug, and from people on the front line who see every day the toll this is taking on our communities. Their message to the provincial government is clear: our response and treatment systems can’t cope with this crisis, and addiction won’t wait for this government to catch up,” said Horgan.

The NDP stated that "over 60 per cent of the promised addiction treatment spaces remain unopened".

“When someone needs supports, they can’t be stuck on a wait list," Horgan said. "They should not be forced to navigate the yawning gaps in B.C.’s treatment services. Addictions don’t wait, and the fentanyl overdose numbers make that clear.”