Saskatoon sees 30 overdoses in three days, prompting health ministry warning

Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Health is warning the public about dangerous drugs circulating in Saskatoon.

According to a news release from the ministry on Monday night, the city saw five overdoses on May 9, followed by eight more on May 10 and 17 overdoses on May 11, for a total of 30 in a three-day period.

Read more:

“Saskatoon Fire Department has responded to 30 overdose calls over three days. Other agencies may be seeing more,” the ministry said in a statement.

“Multiple doses of naloxone and medical care were required over last 24 hours.”

While the ministry warned of dangerous drugs making the rounds in the Bridge City, it said the exact substances behind the weekend’s rash of overdoses are unknown.

“Recent testing indicates multiple substances are circulating in the community,” the ministry said in the news release.

Saskatoon’s Deputy Fire Chief Rob Hogan says after a bit of reprieve from overdose calls, they have been on the rise again since May 6.

“We saw a dozen (overdoses) overnight last night,” he said on Tuesday.

“We’re not sure if it’s just a sudden spike and they will go down, or if it’s going to be a sustained number.”

Hogan said crews have had to apply multiple doses of Narcan (naloxone) for it to be effective and that while the department can get to calls, it can put a “strain” on its resources.

The Emergency Operations Centre launched by the province is still running, which allows organizations to share information and keep track of the overdoses.

Hogan said the province provided some funding allowing the fire department to increase its staffing for around 41 days.

Hogan says they are continuing to work with the province to secure more funding.

Kayla Demong, the executive director for Prairie Harm Reduction — the city’s only safe injection site — said the overdose crisis has continued to grow.

“Unfortunately, there is this feeling that this is our new normal and that’s a really scary thing to come to terms with,” she said.

This week she said staff at Prairie Harm Reduction will work hard to test new substances to the community and ensure the community is aware of the findings.

Demong believes there should be a coordinated plan at a provincial level that extends beyond the Emergency Operations Centre.

“We really need to have more conversations with frontline workers and need the province to have a discussion about what is going on right now,” she said.

The safe injection site was closed while onsite paramedics were being trained, but will open at 10 a.m. on Wednesday.

— With files from 650 CKOM’s Mia Holowaychuk

Read more: