The Saskatchewan Advocate for Children and Youth tabled her 2025 Annual Report with the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday and Dr. Lisa Broda warned of drug exposure deaths in those under age five.

In what she described as Saskatchewan’s toxic, illicit drug crisis, Dr. Broda also noted that other substances potentially described for therapeutic purposes are also a concern.

She says a single grain of fentanyl left on a table is enough to seriously injure or kill a child and these tragedies can and have happened even when there is a sober caregiver present.

The Advocate urges the Saskatchewan community to remain vigilant and report to the child protection system when toxic, illicit drug use is occurring near children, and she points out children under age five are particularly vulnerable to unintentional exposure due to their increased contact with household surfaces for example through crawling and hand to mouth behavior.

The annual report found that between 2019 and 2025 at least 13 children under the age of five died with toxic illicit drugs in their system. As well, there were at least 29 instances where children were treated in hospital for toxic, illicit drug exposures and survived.

The report found that nine children between 0-11 months died after exposure to fentanyl, methamphetamine, and/or cocaine, and seven more were hospitalized. Three of the deaths involved a child age one or younger.