The president of IAFF Saskatoon Firefighters Local 80 released a statement on social media. Jay Protz says the increase in overdose calls is “not a one-oof trend – this is a sustained increase that is impacting our ability to respond effectively across the board.”

He notes that overdose incidents are significantly contributing to higher overall call volumes.

The firefighters’ union says this is a provincial health emergency brought to city’s streets. They are calling on the provincial government to provide targeted resources such as funding for frontline emergency services, expanded access to addiction and mental health supports and a strategy that addresses the root causes of the overdose epidemic.