When people go into the safe consumption site the employees do calculations of what drugs are being used its clear from their numbers over the past three months that the prevalence of fentanyl has more than tripled. Paramedics say the drugs are getting stronger and when an overdose occurs it can be more difficult to treat.

The site opened at the end of December and so far there have been 100 overdoses. In February there were 95 instances of suspected fentanyl use that number nearly doubled in March to 181 and then last month there were 328 cases. There’s only one consumption site in Niagara and it was strategically located in St Catharines where a high number of overdoses had been recorded.

Over the last five and a half years, Talia says they’ve administered nearly two thousand naloxone kits in the region from their program alone two thousand lives saved. There have been stories of success but families of others who haven’t been so lucky have sent along memories and messages of hope.

Hamilton EMS says there were 66 opioid related calls in the month of April. Although its lower than February & March, its the 4th highest month in over two years.