NDP Leader Ryan Meili speaks at a media conference in front of Prairie Harm Reduction in Saskatoon on March 9, 2021. (Brady Lang/650 CKOM)

By Brady Lang/CKOM News

NDP calls for ‘serious action’ to be taken by province in response to overdose crisis

Mar 9, 2021 | 4:59 PM

On a busy 20th Street in Saskatoon on Tuesday, NDP Leader Ryan Meili outlined a list of calls towards the provincial government, all centred around the overdose crisis in the province.

Meili was joined by Health Critic Vicki Mowat and called upon the government for “serious action” to be taken on the issue.

Meili’s asks included: Making naloxone kits free and available at pharmacies across Saskatchewan; approving and funding safe consumption sites in Saskatoon, Regina, Yorkton, Prince Albert and any other centres that need the sites; and, making remote video overdose prevention support for those without access.

Meili also added guaranteed timelines for access to mental health and addictions treatment, the use of drug courts, studies for safe prescription alternatives used in other jurisdictions and how they would apply here, and working with law enforcement to crack down on toxic drug supply at the street level.

“In this last year, we’ve seen nearly 400 people lose their lives to overdose. The opioid crisis and the fentanyl crisis has been taking lives across this province,” Meili said in front of Prairie Harm Reduction (PHR) — Saskatchewan’s only current, operational safe injection site.

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“We have not seen this government take this seriously. The Sask. Party has, for ideological reasons, chosen not to follow the science and do what’s right, and protect people.”

Since January of 2020, 420 people in Saskatchewan have lost their lives to drug overdose. That figure includes 243 confirmed deaths and another 177 that are suspected, according to the Saskatchewan Coroners Service’s latest online report.

“It’s extremely frustrating that this government has stood by,” Meili continued.

“What will it take for Scott Moe to take this seriously? … We’re going to keep calling for the evidence-based, serious measures to protect people.”

In terms of the actual reporting of the death statistics, the province has not held a media conference on the crisis since deaths began to balloon in March 2020. The numbers are not released as they would be for other disease-related issues, such as daily statistics on the COVID-19 pandemic.

Instead, an online report by the coroners’ service is updated every month, without a public release, a few days after the turn of the calendar.

Meili wants to see that changed as well.

“There’s a pretty stark contrast between how it’s done here and elsewhere,” he said. “We don’t see any of that information shared proactively. It’s like this government doesn’t want us to look at the deadliest drug crisis this province has ever experienced.”

The ask for the safe consumption site at the PHR facility still sat at a $1.3-million price tag, executive director Jason Mercredi has said. With that money, Mercredi has said the facility could open to its goal of a 24/7 service for the city, within a month’s time.

The question was raised at Tuesday’s media conference if other funding, such as the $4 million allocated to both the SJHL and WHL, would have been better spent on facilities such as PHR.

“I have no problem with us supporting sport in the province, but this is hundreds of people losing their lives,” Meili said. “This is a serious public health emergency.

“The fact that (government officials) sat on their hands (and) refused to make $1 million available — such a tiny portion of the budget (to) support evidence-based prevention — shows how little they care and how afraid they are of taking a risk to offend when we know this works.”

Of the 243 confirmed deaths since 2020, 167 were within either Regina or Saskatoon. Lloydminster (four), North Battleford (two), Prince Albert (eight), Swift Current (one), Yorkton (seven), Moose Jaw (five), Weyburn (one) and Estevan (one) accounted for 29 additional overdose deaths, with the remaining 47 occurring in a rural setting.

Meili spoke of how the trouble with drugs isn’t just happening “here,” in big-city, core neighbourhoods.

“This is happening in small towns, it’s happening in the wealthiest east-side neighbourhoods, that people are using. They’re losing alone, because of the shame and stigma associated,” he said. “We need to make sure treatment is available everywhere … We want to see that remote support, so that if someone isn’t able to access an on-site (location) that they’re still able to have remote, observed use.”

Meili said in talks with advocates, a solution needs to be found by examining what works elsewhere, having a study that’s tailored for the province and acting on those findings.

At this point, Meili said the province cannot police its way out of the problem. His asks for additional use of drug courts and working with police to crack down on the dangerous street supply also would work towards a path past the crisis, he added.

“People need treatment, not punishment,” Meili said.

Asked for a response to the NDP’s calls for action Tuesday, the Ministry of Health did not respond to 650 CKOM by deadline.