Edmonton region hits monthly peak all the time in deaths related to opioid

According to the latest government data, there were more opioid-related deaths in March than any previous month on the record in the Admonton Zone.

Two experts say that the spike should have been more in lead-up.

Eighty-seven people died of Opioid drug poisoning in March, causing the highest number of deaths related to Opioid in the capital region of Alberta as authorities started tracking it publicly in 2016.

In the Health Systems Innovation at Alberta School of Public Health University, Canada’s research chair said, “It is very terrible to see such a big spike in deaths in Admonton, clearly,” Canada’s research chair said in the Health Systems Innovation at Alberta School of Public Health University.

“We are about 10 years in this crisis. And so the fact that the number here is getting very high, it is really upset.”

Since August 2023, the number of malignant opioid drug poison has been mostly on the trend at the bottom, before 33 deaths in September to fall again.

Hishka said that in early 2025 there was a spike in calls for emergency medical services, and in view of that, the province should have issued a public warning.

“When we are experiencing the duration of increased overdose, the public has the right to know,” Hishka said.

“People should be warned to take more and more precautions.”

But the province stated in an email that EMS has fluctuated in the first three months of 2025 according to the week for Opioid related events, which ranges between 40 to 230 reactions.

The province also noted a “related” increase in the use of carfentanil.

Nathanial Dock, press secretary of the Ministry of Mental Health and Addiction, wrote, “We are closely monitoring the situation with our municipal partners.”

“In all 2024, carfentanil adamonton included 16 percent of the opioid related deaths. It has increased by 70 percent to 70 percent for the first three months of 2025.”

A loss in loss in admonton, a specialist and registered nurse, Marlis Taylor agreed with Hishka’s call and said additional services should be provided during such time.

Taylor said that there are some reasons for spikes in the carfentanill, increase in adulteration of drug supply, and major drug busts that destabilize the supply.

Another factor, Taylor, said, “more admontonians are using substances in different environment, which are in different environment due to infiltration removal and less frontline workers.”

Taylor told CBC News on Wednesday, “There are less overdose teams from there.” “There are low outreach workers who are available to help the community deal with it”.

Duke stated that the province is closely monitoring the situation in the Edmonton region, but the situation looks very different at the provincial level.

“The province-wide, deaths related to 117 opioids in March 2025-91 in 2025, but below 126 in March 2024,” Duke said.

Duke said that Edmonton calculated the provincial manner for almost all growth.

He said that Alberta began to accept customers in its three recovery communities starting in May 2023, with eight more established as part of the response to the crisis of addiction.

The province also stated that it added more than 10,000 publicly funded treatment locations and removed daily user fees for residential treatment.