Opposition, Saskatoon library union say Sask. government needs to act on overdose crisis

Saskatchewan's Opposition NDP says an explosion of overdoses in Saskatoon, and the subsequent closures of two libraries and the city's only supervised consumption site, show the provincial government isn't putting health care and addictions funding in the right places.

"We need more funding for treatment, for housing and for social supports," Betty Nippi-Albright, the NDP's critic for mental health and addictions, said at a news conference Monday.

"We need the Sask. Party government to come out of hiding today and deliver a real and accountable plan to the people of Saskatoon to end this drug crisis. Far too many people have died already."

On Friday, the public library announced a month-long closure of its downtown Frances Morrison Library and the Dr. Freda Ahenakew library on 20th Street W. in the wake of the city's protracted overdose crisis.

The city's fire department has responded to 696 overdoses since Jan 1. Library staff responded to at least 48 overdoses or drug poisonings so far this year — almost double the number from the same period in 2024, according to a statement from the public library.

Both branches will reopen April 21, it said.

The announcement came two days after Prairie Harm Reduction, which operates a drop-in centre and supervised consumption site, announced it was closing temporarily to give its staff time to recover from a heavy workload stemming from the overdose crisis.

Homeless advocate David Fineday said he understands why the closures are necessary, but that people on the streets now have nowhere to go for help.

"I was given cases of naloxone and I'm going to go give them out on the street because there's nobody out there to protect our people right now, everybody's walked away," Fineday said.

"All these places are closed. Are they gonna go into the mall now? Where are they gonna go?"

Province responds

The Saskatchewan Party responded to questions about Saskatoon's overdose crisis Monday.

"We're very concerned that this is happening there," Lori Carr, minister of mental health and addictions, told CBC. "This is happening because of illicit drugs, that's why the Government of Saskatchewan is moving toward recovery and getting people the help that they need."

Carr pointed to 500 addiction recovery beds promised in this year's budget, but would not answer if there was an immediate plan to address the overdoses happening in Saskatoon.

'Libraries are not treatment centres': union rep

The union representing library staff said they've been dealing with more and more overdoses and violent behaviour.

"Library workers aren't first responders, they shouldn't have to deal with medical emergencies, they shouldn't have to deal with violent people," Cara Stelmaschuk, a CUPE 2669 representative, told CBC. "They should be there to help people read, find books, find information, learn to write a resume."

Stelmaschuk said library workers have had to deal with people overdosing and sleeping in bathrooms, staff being hit and spit on, and having to clean up blood and human waste.

She said none of those are things library workers got into the job to do.

"Libraries are not treatment centres," Stelmaschuk said. "Library workers are not addictions counselors. This is not their job. The government needs to step up and get here and help people now."