‘Cannot be naive’: Regina monitoring Saskatoon overdose crisis, mayor says

As Saskatoon grapples with a surge in fentanyl-related overdoses, Regina’s mayor said the crisis could easily spread to the Queen City.

“We cannot be naive to think that’s not going to make its way to Regina,” Chad Bachynski said on Thursday.

Read More:

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• Saskatoon Fire responds to 37 overdoses in 24 hours
• Bad drug alert: At least 23 more overdoses in Saskatoon in 24 hours
• Saskatoon sees spike in overdoses with over 25 in 24 hours

The Saskatoon Fire Department has responded to 300 overdoses and several suspicious deaths since February 25, and the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre has been activated to co-ordinate the Government of Saskatchewan’s response, which includes the City of Saskatoon and the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health.

Listen to Bachynski’s interview on The Evan Bray Show:

Regina Mayor Chad Bachynski said the best role the city can play to help deal with the toxic drug crisis is in the delivery of services and the boots on the ground. (980 CJME file photo)

Bachynski said that while the situation in Regina has been more stable, city staff are monitoring the crisis in Saskatoon very closely.

“My understanding is, essentially, fentanyl is rampant, and that’s a big driver of this,” Bachynski said.

“The response of our current mitigation with using Narcan is not working on some of these new mixes and some of these drugs.”

Bachynski said the City of Regina is also collaborating with the province to address toxic drugs.

“We know that the province has a substantial role to play. The city also has a role to play in terms of co-ordination, making sure we get the resources – boots on the ground – in the right place, and make sure those supports and services are in the right place,” he said.

“We will be working with our emergency services, our police, our fire (department), making sure that we are prepared for whatever might happen.”

When asked if the City of Regina has enough resources and partnerships in place to deal with the situation, Bachynski said “the short answer is no.”

Bachynski said the city’s role is the delivery of a “boots-on-the-ground effort” in response to overdoses, but noted that the city is working closely with the province on additional support.

“They have the financial resources to help make sure we can deploy the people and the products and materials that we need to help.”

What can I do if I see an overdose?

People can call or text the National Overdose Response Service at 1-888-688-NORS (6677) if they are alone, and having a naloxone kit can also help.

Naloxone is used to treat overdoses for drugs like heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone and hydrocodone, but Praire Harm Reduction has said it has not been effective in all cases in the latest Saskatoon overdose spike because benzos are involved.

The Saskatchewan government provides free Naloxone kits and training on how to administer it to anyone at risk of an opioid overdose, as well as to anyone who might witness an overdose. The training also covers overdose prevention, recognition and response.

A list of places where the free kits are available can be found here. Emergency departments across the province also carry the kits, and they can be purchased at some pharmacies as well.”

Canada’s Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act offers some legal protection and applies to anyone seeking emergency support during an overdose, including any person experiencing an overdose.

The Act protects the person who seeks help, whether they stay or leave from the overdose scene before help arrives. The Act also protects anyone else who is at the scene when help arrives.

Symptoms of an overdose may include but are not limited to:

• slow or no breathing
• gurgling
• gasping or snoring
• clammy and cool skin
• blue lips or nails
• difficulty waking up or staying awake