REGINA, Sask. — The opposition New Democrats continue to hammer the government on the addictions issue, pointing to new July overdose numbers in Regina.
According to those numbers from the Regina Police Service, there were 705 overdose events reported in July alone, and five people lost their lives.
NDP Justice and Community Safety critic Nicole Sarauer shared those statistics at a media availability at the legislature Tuesday. She noted the July figures also included 47 incidents attended by police and nine instances where police administered naloxone.
“The data paints a stark picture of a crisis that continues to put lives at risk and place enormous pressure on first responders,” Sarauer said.
“These are not just statistics on a page. These are parents, children, siblings, friends, and neighbours whose lives have changed forever. Five people died from an apparent overdose in Regina last month alone. Hundreds survived an overdose. Every single one represents a person who needs support, treatment, and a pathway to recovery.”
Sarauer said the NDP was calling on Premier Scott Moe’s government to “finally take a comprehensive approach to the overdose crisis.”
She called for expanded access to addictions treatment, mental health services, harm reduction supports and long-term recovery programs immediately.
“Families should not have to wait until their loved one is in crisis, or worse, until it is too late to get help. First responders are being asked to pick up the pieces of this crisis.”
Her comments come just a week after the Regina Police Service announced arrests in connection with fentanyl production in the city.
Sarauer said she was “very grateful to the hardworking police officers who were able to successfully complete a long-running investigation.”
But Sarauer added there is “a lot of responsibility that lies at government's feet, too, in supporting the work that police are doing, ensuring that we're able to get these toxic drugs off our streets, that we're able to hold dealers responsible, and that we're able to support those who are suffering from addictions.”
In terms of what the NDP wants to see done, Sarauer said it wants a “holistic approach to solving this.”
“You can't police your way out of an addictions crisis. There is a role in ensuring that we are addressing crime, while at the same time addressing the root causes of crime. The province, in particular, has a huge role to play in addressing the root causes of crime, and that's where we're seeing, in particular, this government failing.
“Whether that's addressing the lack of access to long-term treatment beds, we still hear about folks who are trying to get into detox that can't, who are trying to get into long-term treatment beds that can't, or struggle to try and call every single day to see if there's an opening.”
She pointed to “huge barriers” to accessing recovery in this province, while at the same time “we're seeing a Ministry of Social Services failing to keep people off of the streets. We see a government that refuses to address Housing First as an option, as a solution to helping support people out of addictions. There are lots of things that this government is doing that they're actively choosing not to do.”
In response, Mental Health and Addictions Minister Lori Carr issued a statement in which she said the government “remains concerned about the number of overdoses in our province and continues to emphasize that there is no safe use of illicit drugs. Every life lost to an overdose is a tragedy; that's why we want to ensure that when an individual reaches out for help, support is available.”
Carr pointed to the government’s expansion of access to all areas of the addictions treatment continuum, pointing to record investments in the expansion of addictions treatment spaces, with 70 new spaces opened so far under this year's budget, bringing the total to 861. She also pointed to a central intake and navigation process for addictions treatment, additional addictions supports in emergency departments, overdose outreach teams in Saskatoon and Regina, complex needs facilities to bring individuals in crisis to a safe place and connect them to supports, virtual access to addictions medicine, and more.
“We know that Saskatchewan’s recovery-oriented approach is delivering encouraging results. Since we implemented the Action Plan for Mental Health and Addictions, confirmed and suspected deaths due to drug toxicity have continued to decline year-over-year. We will continue working to strengthen this progress by investing in care, accountability, and public safety.”
