Alberta ramps up opioid fight

Province announces $30M increase, new panel to battle rise in opioid deaths

Alberta is investing $30 million and striking a panel to respond to the opioid addictions crisis — but opposition leaders say it’s too late and no substitute for a long-awaited action plan. Premier Rachel Notley told the legislature Wednesday the panel will get more recommendations “delivered to cabinet quickly, quickly, quickly because we understand that this is an emergency and we need to do more.”

The new panel, announced by Associate Health Minister Brandy Payne, will include representatives from medical, police, community and indigenous groups.

Payne says the panel will begin work almost immediately and will oversee the $30 million already set aside in this year’s budget to deal with opioid use.

It will focus on ramping up access to treatment, including opioid replacement therapy, and expanding public coverage of drugs used in that therapy like methadone.

The government says there were 113 deaths from the powerful opioid fentanyl alone in the first quarter of 2017, up from 70 over the same time period a year earlier.

The number of fentanyl-related deaths has grown from 117 three years ago to 363 in 2016.

Payne dismissed opposition suggestions the province declare a public health emergency, as has been done in British Columbia, to deliver more authority and send a message on the severity of the crisis.

She said the tools needed to handle the crisis are in place and extra authority under an emergency, such as giving government the power to enter people’s homes, is unnecessary. Such powers were designed with an infectious disease pandemic in mind, she said.

“This is not what we’re dealing with,” said Payne, adding the creation of the panel shows the government is taking it seriously.

“We’re creating a formal role for a diverse set of voices that have been working on the front lines of this issue.”

The province has already expanded access to and use of naloxone, an injection that can save an overdose victim from dying.

It is spending more than $2.6 million for police to crack down on fentanyl distribution and more than $700,000 for projects that would ultimately allow safe injection sites.

More treatment beds are also being added and the government is working with doctors on opioid replacement therapy, as well as reducing the inappropriate prescription of opioids.

But Liberal Leader David Swann says as the crisis worsens, the province is focused on optics and not on getting the job done.

“(The panel) is clearly designed to take the heat off government and bring in stakeholders, many of whom have already had input into the process but are waiting for stronger leadership and a plan,” said Swann, who is a doctor.

He said that despite rising death tolls, the province has yet to deliver a blueprint to get timely care for those trying to break free from opioid addiction.

Progressive Conservative critic Mike Ellis said the panel is a promising step, but said the province needs to take more proactive action immediately including better public education.

“We are in a public health emergency,” he said.

Wildrose Leader Brian Jean said time is critical. It took two years for the government to assemble a panel, he said.

“It’s far overdue.”