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Executive director of Prairie Harm Reduction, Kayla DeMong, said the organization is “drowning” with minimal resources amid Saskatoon’s overdose crisis.
The city’s recent statistics reveal the fire department has responded to 696 incidents since January 1, 2025.
Still, DeMong is not surprised the supervised consumption site on Saskatoon’s 20th Street was left out of Saskatchewan’s budget this year.
“There is a very consistent message; it’s just not something that they will fund,” she said during an interview with 650 CKOM.
While the supervised consumption site was overlooked, the province renewed three other contracts that include family and youth programs. Additionally, the organization’s case management team will receive a three per cent funding increase.
An alert issued this week from the province’s Ministry of Health said Prairie Harm Reduction identified a brown/red substance that contains a “dangerous level of fentanyl” that is causing multiple overdoses. Naloxone — which is administered to temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose — does not seem to counter the effects of the substance.
Experts advise people to still carry and use Naloxone, despite the drug seeming to resist it. In a previous interview with CJME, one expert said, “There’s no such thing as ‘naloxone-resistant opioids’ or ‘naloxone-resistant fentanyl.'”(Prairie Harm Reduction/Submitted)
Earlier this month, the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre was launched to co-ordinate overdose response between the City of Saskatoon and the Government of Saskatchewan.
Despite the work Prairie Harm Reduction is doing with the ministry, DeMong said there is “no empathy (and) no acknowledgement that people are dying.”
“We are a cornerstone of making sure that people are properly supported.”
DeMong said the organization is the only one in the city capable of conducting real-time drug testing and issuing immediate alerts.
“We’re beyond the point where it’s a bad batch; it’s the only thing available, which is a very new situation,” she said.
DeMong said she’s been working closely with police to figure out where these drugs are coming from, and the concern continues to grow.
“Is this our forever now? Is this just a standard that’s going to continue in the community?” she said.
Since January, DeMong said staff have been consistently reviving individuals at the site with minimal resources. She noted that, on average, they respond to about three overdoses a day, often providing CPR.
“A couple weeks ago, we had a day where we had four overdoses at one time, and at that exact time, (the fire department) was responding to 11,” she said.
DeMong praised the Saskatoon Fire Department for its efforts and thanked the local community for their donations to help purchase supplies like nasal naloxone.
“I think the thing that warms my heart the most and makes me really proud to live in Saskatchewan is the community support we have,” she said.
Drop-in and supervised consumption site closed until March 31
The immense stress on staff has pushed Prairie Harm Reduction to close its supervised consumption site and drop-in services until March 31.
“Our team needs to take some time to focus on themselves and the trauma they are experiencing from the overdose crisis,” a social media post from the organization said.
“It’s terrifying, absolutely heartbreaking, because we know what’s going to happen,” DeMong said about the closure.
“One of the hardest parts of all of this is (that) we know the people that we’re trying to revive; these are people that we have known for a very long time.”
DeMong called on the province for more support when it comes to detox treatment and wait times, adding support should also extend beyond treatment.
“We can’t put somebody in treatment and release them back to homelessness or back to a community where they have no access to support,” she said.
Government focused on recovery approach
On Thursday, Lori Carr, Saskatchewan’s minister of mental health and addictions, said the government is directing its funds toward a recovery-focused approach.
“Our government has made it quite clear that the use of illicit drugs is not safe, and we’re seeing that on our streets,” she said.
“We want healthy individuals, healthy families and healthy communities, and that’s why we’re funding recovery.”
Carr acknowledged the overdose crisis in Saskatoon, stating the province’s health authority and public safety agency have been working closely with the city.
This work includes an emergency center to support first responders and supply naloxone kits.
Carr pointed to other services the province provides, such as outreach teams and a drug alert app that sends warnings to users about dangerous substances.
Last year, the province announced an investment in 500 addiction treatment spaces, but only 221 have opened so far.
Carr said the operation has been successful, and the province has allocated another 100 beds. Providers have also been selected but are still in the process of securing facilities.
– with files from 980 CJME’s Lisa Schick
