The Regina Police Service (RPS) confirmed three people are dead from suspected overdoses within the last 24 hours in the city, which includes one at the tent encampment in front of city hall.
According to an email statement to Global News, on Wednesday before 5:45 a.m., police responded to a report of a suspected overdose.
“When they arrived, EMS were on scene with a deceased adult female,” the RPS stated. “As is the case in all death investigations, police are working in conjunction with the Saskatchewan Coroners Service to determine the exact cause of death.”
Alysia Johnson, an advocate for Rally Around Homelessness, said these realities existed before the tents made their way to City Hall.
“It’s not going to change … I really want the public to understand that,” she said. “The person who tragically lost their life did not lose their life because of where their tent was placed. That person wound up there. And, you know, had nowhere to stay and had no other options.”
Regina Mayor Sandra Masters addressed reporters on Wednesday afternoon regarding the recent overdose fatality at the tent encampment.
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Mayor Masters expressed her condolences to the community of the woman who died in the suspected drug overdose.
“In the city of Regina from January till the end of June, data from the RPS would tell us that we have had 72 deaths in the first six months of the year here in the city with 1304 incidents,” she said. “Whatever we’re doing isn’t working.”
Mayor Masters said what they are essentially facing are folks who don’t want assistance with shelter.
“It’s a little oblique to me what to do with folks who don’t want assistance with shelter. And that’s that is essentially what we’re facing.”
Mayor Masters said the City is doing everything in their power to find a solution and says they will continue to support the delivery of shelter.
“We’re not mental health, we’re not health, we’re not social services. We’re not all the things. We’re not all the services that are required,” said the mayor. “If something were to come forward, I think the city will always try to be at the table and in some way, provided that the services that are necessary are also there at the table.”
The RPS sent out a public safety alert regarding the increase in suspected drug overdose deaths.
“In the wake of three apparent drug overdose deaths in our city in past 24 hours and 12 suspected overdose deaths since July 1, 2023,” stated RPS in a release. “The suspected overdose deaths are occurring across the city, with approximately half noted in the inner-city areas. The vast majority of victims are males in the 30 to 40 age range.”
Police urge the public to learn the signs of a possible drug overdose, carry and know how to administer Naloxone (Narcan) and to know the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act.
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