Lethbridge's Overdose Prevention Site. (Supplied by Alberta Health Services)

By David Opinko

Overdose Prevention Site busier following closure of SCS, public drug use reportedly rising

Sep 21, 2020 | 2:22 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – A lot has changed in downtown Lethbridge recently as the Overdose Prevention Site (OPS) opened just over a month ago and it has been just over three weeks since the Supervised Consumption Site (SCS) shut its doors.

LNN has obtained statistics from the provincial Associate Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions on usage at the Overdose Prevention Site.

A spokesperson said, between opening on August 17 to the 31st, the OPS saw an average of 11 clients per day. During this time, the SCS was still operating until August 31.

From September 1 to 20, however, that increased to 34 clients per day.

In its first month of operations, AHS staff managed four overdose reversals that required naloxone and nine adverse events that required “other supportive measures.”

Nighttime construction on Hwy 3 in Lethbridge starts April 17

Apr 17, 2025

SASHA launches #BuyABed fundraiser to support vulnerable Lethbridge residents

Apr 04, 2025

$20K grants available: TELUS STORYHIVE Pan-Asian Edition opens applications April 1

Mar 18, 2025

No deaths have occurred in the OPS van, which is parked outside of the Lethbridge Shelter and Resource Centre.

A separate statement from the province last week said that there has been no increase in the number of opioid-related events that necessitated a response from Lethbridge EMS.

While these stats all appear to be positive indicators of recent changes, Jeff Cove, the Manager of LPS’s The Watch program, says he and his team have noticed a few troubling elements.

“We do see a lot more people that are using in public. That’s an issue where people will use where they purchase as opposed to going to over where the [OPS] currently exists.”

Watch members have heard from some people who use drugs that the OPS is too far away from where they buy their drugs, so they end up finding a different spot. It should be noted that the SCS and the OPS are 600 metres apart.

Since The Watch’s inception in May 2019, they have responded to 29 overdoses where naloxone was administered. 18 of those occurred in just the last few months.

“I know I have heard talks about more potent batches of the opioids out there, I have heard incidents where people are more content to use where they buy and those kinds of things, so previously they hadn’t been going to the consumption site. Of course, those are all anecdotal things, I don’t know that.”

The team regularly interacts with business owners in Lethbridge’s downtown core. At least so far, Cove has not heard a lot of feedback on the closure of the SCS.

“There’s been a few comments but nothing really crazy about, you know, I’m glad it’s closed or those kinds of things, it’s just that’s a problem that’s been moved and we have other things to deal with.”

The now-former Supervised Consumption Site was run by ARCHES, but they closed their doors when the Government of Alberta pulled all of its provincial funding following a financial audit.

The Overdose Prevention Site is a mobile, temporary measure run by Alberta Health Services that will be in the city until a permanent solution can be found.

READ MORE: ARCHES ceases supervised consumption services in Lethbridge

READ MORE: Lethbridge’s Overdose Prevention Site now operating as replacement for SCS