Alberta's opioid decline trails national trend, EMS calls spike

While opioid deaths dropped 23 percent nationally last year, Alberta's decline was comparatively flat at just four percent — even as emergency responses to overdoses surged.

Ontario reported a 38 percent drop in opioid toxicity deaths and British Columbia a 22 percent decline, but Alberta lagged despite being one of three provinces accounting for nearly 80 percent of Canada's opioid deaths. More troubling: EMS responses to suspected opioid-related overdoses jumped roughly 65 percent in Alberta last year, while both Ontario and B.C. reported fewer EMS calls.

Health Canada attributed Alberta's divergence to a shifting illegal drug supply. More fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, benzodiazepines, and tranquilizers like medetomidine have been detected in the province's street drugs. "Drug markets and the illegal drug supply are not the same across the country," said Health Canada spokesperson Mark Johnson, citing trafficking routes, organized crime presence, local demand, and service access as regional variables.

Alberta's rate of opioid deaths per 100,000 people ranked third-worst in the country, trailing only British Columbia and Yukon. Some experts point to past inaction compounding the crisis. DJ Larkin, executive director of the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, noted that declines in other provinces may reflect fatalities already suffered rather than successful intervention. "In places like B.C. and Ontario, we may be seeing a decline because so many people have already died," Larkin said.