(File photo/CKOM News)

By Jaryn Vecchio

Drug overdoses

Confirmed opioid-related deaths down in Saskatchewan in 2021, 239 deaths still being investigated

Jan 7, 2022 | 9:43 AM

If you take a quick look at Saskatchewan’s opioid numbers for 2021, they may seem promising, however, they may be misleading.

According to the Saskatchewan Coroner’s Service, which releases monthly statistics on drug-related deaths, 225 people across the province died from an apparent overdose.

While this is down from the 319 deaths recorded in 2020, the 2021 numbers don’t include suspected deaths they’re still investigating.

In the last 12 months, there have been another 239 individuals who potentially died from an overdose, which would raise the provincial total to 464.

The coroner’s service didn’t clarify where these deaths happened.

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When including the eight deaths still be investigated from 2020, there were possibly 137 more deaths last year.

Unsurprisingly, Saskatoon and Regina have accounted for over 76 per cent of all the confirmed deaths.

The northern part of the province is looking at a decrease in the number of overdoses.

Prince Albert, North Battleford, and Lloydminster combined for 13 deaths in 2021, down from the 23 in 2020.

There were no confirmed overdoses in Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation, Buffalo Narrows, Canoe Narrows, Ile a la Crosse, La Loche, Little Red First Nation, Marshall, Melfort, Nipawin, Pierceland, Shellbrook, Spiritwood, and Uranium City.

These 13 communities combined for 14 deaths in 2020.

Depending on whether any of the suspected deaths are confirmed, these numbers could change.

Meanwhile, Indigenous peoples accounted for a disproportionate number of deaths.

Despite accounting for around 28 per cent of the province’s population, 93 of the 225 confirmed deaths were First Nation or Métis.

This is over 41 per cent of the overdoses, the highest among all races.

—

Jaryn.Vecchio@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow