Premier Doug Ford says the province will help an eastern Ontario city with funding as it experiences as overdose crisis.

Ford says he is also going to sit down with the mayor of Belleville to talk about longer-term solutions such as building a community health hub.

Belleville declared a state of emergency last week after a spate of overdoses in its downtown core overwhelmed first responders.

Mayor Neil Ellis has asked for money to expand a social and health services hub, which needs $2 million.

Belleville also wants a detox centre to help in its ongoing battle with toxic street drugs.

The opioid crisis has gripped the province for years and deaths have nearly doubled since 2019, with a significant spike since the pandemic began in 2020.