New data from Alberta reveals a complex and troubling picture of the province's ongoing substance use crisis. While the number of opioid-related deaths is trending downward, the strain on emergency services has intensified dramatically, with ambulance calls and emergency department visits nearing record highs.
EMS Responses Skyrocket Despite Fewer Deaths
According to the latest figures from Alberta's substance use surveillance system, the first nine months of 2025 saw a staggering increase in emergency medical services (EMS) responses to opioid-related events. From January to September 2025, paramedics were dispatched to 8,116 such incidents, a figure that far surpasses the 4,674 recorded during the same period in 2024.
When the final quarter's data is tallied, the annual total for 2025 is projected to match or even exceed the previous record of 10,205 EMS responses set just two years prior in 2023. This surge in emergency calls occurs alongside a gradual decline in fatal overdoses, highlighting a disconnect between mortality rates and the overall volume of acute substance-related emergencies.
Edmonton Bears the Brunt of the Crisis
The capital city continues to be the epicenter of the crisis within Alberta. Of the 850 opioid-related deaths recorded across the province in the first three quarters of 2025, a disproportionate 501 occurred in Edmonton. If this pace continues through the end of the year, the city's death toll could approach the tragic record of 680 lives lost in 2023.
The pressure on Edmonton's healthcare system is equally severe. The city accounted for 5,002 of Alberta's 9,654 emergency department visits for opioid-related issues from January to September 2025. This number already exceeds the previous high of 4,409 visits set during the same timeframe in 2023.
Frontline Frustration and Provincial Response
Healthcare workers on the front lines express deep concern over the situation. Dr. Warren Thirsk, head of emergency medicine with the Alberta Medical Association and an ER physician at Edmonton's Royal Alexandra Hospital, stated that the reality experienced by medical staff does not reflect the reported success in reducing deaths.
"The front line is frustrated because we see (the province) claiming success while dismantling the tools of the success and we don't see any difference," Dr. Thirsk said. He emphasized that true progress stems from direct work with patients and communities.
In a statement to Postmedia, Alberta's Ministry of Mental Health and Addiction acknowledged the high rates of overdoses in Edmonton. The ministry pointed to its "significant investments" in increasing access to addiction services, including the Virtual Opioid Dependency Program for same-day help, free naloxone kits, and the DORS mobile app to alert emergency services to overdoses.
"Keeping a person in addiction is not health care — and only puts more pressure on already strained emergency services," the ministry's statement read. "It's more important than ever to get those suffering from the disease of addiction connected to treatment and supports."
The data underscores a critical challenge for Alberta: while efforts to prevent fatalities may be showing some effect, the sheer scale of substance-related emergencies continues to overwhelm emergency medical systems, demanding a sustained and multifaceted public health response.
