Overdoses in Saskatoon almost doubled in 2025 compared to the previous year, the city’s fire department said in an annual report.
The Saskatoon Fire Department (SFD) reported a stark and significant increase in overdoses last year when compared to 2024 and other historical data in its annual report for city council.
“Between Feb. 25-28 (2025) alone, crews responded to more than 60 overdoses and call volumes continued to climb into March, peaking at 34 overdoses in a single day. March ended with 509 overdose responses, which was more than double the monthly average from 2024,” the SFD’s recap reads.
The fire department was the first to alert the Saskatchewan Health Authority and Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency of the “unprecedented surge” it said.
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This rise was not limited to the first half of last year, as the department continued managing cases. Overdoses topped the list of the 10 categories for emergency medical services, it said.
“By the end of the year, the SFD had responded to 2,512 overdose incidents — often involving more than one patient — averaging 209 incidents per month and nearly doubling the 1,281 calls recorded in 2024,” the department said.
This trend has not stopped yet this year, as the city was subject to an overdose advisory after 150 overdose-related calls were made within the first 12 days of April.
As part of the response to the climbing case count, a temporary overdose outreach paramedic was hired, as per the report.
Last fall also saw the expansion of emergency communications to include call taking for the overdose outreach team and fire community support.
The expansion provided the overdose outreach teams with access to reliable, direct, radio communication, GPS location and real time wellness check ins, according to the SFD. The group was created by the Ministry of Health in a pilot project in 2022.
Ongoing, annual funding was committed to the project earlier this year.
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