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The City of Oshawa is urging the province to support a new 24/7 Mental Health and Addictions Urgent and Emergency Care Department in Durham. Lakeridge Health is behind the proposal to convert an old emergency room at the Oshawa hospital into a space just for mental health and addictions patients. High demand for these services has put pressure on existing services and led to long wait times. Each year, Lakeridge Health’s emergency departments see more than 14,000 visits related to mental health and substance use. Oshawa’s mayor says people need a calm environment after emergency services respond. The city has been pushing the province to commit to a $30 million investment. Recently, the proposal was presented at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference.