The latest Saskatchewan overdose numbers show a continuing and deadly trend.
As of Aug. 3, 221 people have died in the province so far in 2021 from either confirmed or suspected overdoses, according to the Saskatchewan Coroners Service.
In 2020, 337 people died.
Jason Mercredi, the executive director of the Saskatoon supervised consumption site Prairie Harm Reduction (PHR), said solutions are available but are underfunded.
“If (the Saskatchewan) government funds these services we can dedicate our efforts to not just fundraising but delivering them,” he said.
“I think that would go a long way.”
Michael Parker, the executive director of Newo Yotina Friendship Centre in Regina, which became the province’s other supervised consumption site in May, agreed.
“A lot of these (treatment) options are a bit dated and need to be updated to reflect … the current types of stuff out there, like fentanyl and crystal meth,” he told Global News.
The Saskatchewan government started providing both sites drug-testing strips last week and both directors said they were very useful tools in helping their clients.
But both said the government should be funding services, not supplies.
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“I think we’ve shown we can be pretty effective on a shoestring budget. Imagine if we were actually properly funded to deliver these services,” Mercredi said.
The government did not respond to a request for comment by deadline.
Mercredi told Global News the site has only seen one overdose in or around its location, on 20th Street East, in the past several weeks. And that’s with its extended hours.
PHR hired a second paramedic recently on the strength of a successful fundraising campaign, which has allowed the staff to keep the site open 12 hours a day, five days a week.
Mercredi said the site is always full.
Parker reported a similar rate of customers, saying the number of clients increased from 36 per month to 59 since it opened. (He noted only two staff work at the site).
The coroners service only provides the locations of confirmed overdose deaths. Of the 89 confirmed deaths so far in 2021, 40 have taken place in Regina and 29 in Saskatoon.
Mercredi said other locations also need supports and supervised consumption sites.
“Rural municipalities don’t really have a lot of options,” Mercredi said, explaining how the issue affects the province.
“We’re increasing the availability of (naloxone) but it’s still fairly limited to where and when you can get it.”
“Accessing treatment… there’s limited options,” Parker said.
Both said COVID-19 hadn’t really affected their services or their clients, though Mercredi said it will likely affect how busy they are next winter.
He told Global News clients told him and PHR staff the pandemic made it more difficult to find housing. He said he’s worried more vulnerable people will turn to drugs to escape the bitter temperatures.
“We’ll see people come out and crash on our couch for the entire time we’re open and then they’ll need to use to stay awake.”
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