As Regina experiences a surge in overdoses, a paramedic and harm reduction advocate is urging people who intend to use drugs to test them first. Emile Gariepy, manager of the safe consumption site at the Newo Yotina Friendship Centre, emphasized the importance of knowing what substances one is consuming.
Rise in Overdose Calls
Gariepy reported that the safe consumption site has seen a significant increase in overdoses over the past few weeks. This aligns with a provincial government alert issued on Wednesday, which noted a recent spike in the Regina area. Many of these incidents have required multiple doses of naloxone to reverse the effects.
According to the provincial alert, between April 1 and April 21, 2026, there were 140 overdose-related calls. Multiple calls resulted in unconsciousness and cardiac arrest, requiring CPR and advanced emergency medical treatment.
Stronger Fentanyl Identified
Gariepy conducted tests on the drugs causing the overdoses. His analysis did not reveal any unusual toxic substances. “The fentanyl that’s going around right now is essentially just stronger than normal,” he said. The government alert also warned of potential unknown substances circulating in Regina, noting that naloxone only counteracts opioids, not other drugs.
Call to Action: Carry Naloxone and Check on Others
Gariepy urged everyone to carry naloxone, also known by the brand name Narcan. “And check on people,” he added. “Ask them if they’re OK, ask them if they’re waking up.” He noted that many people call 911 for someone passed out on the sidewalk without even getting out of their car to check on them.
Impact of Safe Consumption Site Closures
While the government alert focused on Regina, Gariepy pointed out that dangerous drug supplies move across the country. Some safe consumption sites in other cities, including Saskatoon, have closed or announced impending closures. “I would say that their overdose rates and rates of deaths are going to go up because the sites are closed,” Gariepy commented. He emphasized that without a paramedic or safe injection site nearby, people may not receive immediate reversal of overdoses.
In 2024, Saskatchewan’s government stepped back from certain harm reduction efforts, including funding for pipes and information on safer drug use, and tightened rules around needle exchanges. At the time, then-minister of mental health and addictions Tim McLeod stated, “The message coming from the health-care system should be that there is hope for recovery.”
