43 reported overdoses, two drug deaths over six-day period in Waterloo Region

A Community Drug Alert has been issued in Waterloo Region after 43 drug overdoses were reported between Aug. 28 and Sept. 2.

Two deaths during that time period are also suspected to be drug-related.

“We have data that comes in from a lot of different sources,” explained Erica Poulin, a coordinator at Waterloo Region Integrated Drugs Strategy (WRIDS).

Those sources include paramedics, police and Sanguen Health Centre.

Drug testing

WRIDS said the drug checking program at the Kitchener Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS) site recently detected nitazenes in fentanyl samples.

Nitazenes are strong synthetic opioids. WRIDS warns that fentanyl testing strips cannot detect the drug and more naloxone than normal may be required to help someone experiencing an overdose.

Bromazolam, paraflurofentanyl and flubromazolam (also known as “liquid Xanax”) have also been detected in samples tested at the Kitchener CTS site in the last week.

It’s not known if any of these drugs were responsible for the overdoses or deaths reported over the six-day period.

However, knowing what’s in the local drug supply is key to support services in the community.

“That kind of enriches the alerts in terms of giving harm reduction tips specifically,” Poulin explained.

CTS shutdowns

On Aug. 20, the province announced its plan to close 10 CTS sites, including the ones in Kitchener and Guelph.

They have until March 31, 2025 to shut down services.

Poulin said that was on her mind when the WRIDS’s warning went out on Tuesday.

“It was kind of a grim feeling to be writing [it] up and knowing in a short amount of time, when an alert goes out, we might not know what we can say to people,” she explained. “We might not be able to give that resource to people and say, you know, go use in a safe place.”

When the province’s plan was made public, the drug-testing machine at the Kitchener CTS was already facing an uncertain future due to a lack of funding.

HART Hubs

Instead of CTS sites, the province said it will focus on creating homelessness and addiction recovery treatment, or HART hubs. The goal is to connect users to available services but not supervised drug consumption programs.

“We want to make sure that none of those options are limited so we can continue to support,” said ACCKWA executive director Ruth Cameron. “This doesn’t, in any way, pit us against treatment.”

ACCKWA, or the Aids Committee of Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo and Area, had previously been chosen to operate a CTS site in Cambridge before the province announced its new direction.

The Region of Waterloo said it was “encouraged” by the idea of HART hubs.

“Our community needs better access to primary care, mental health and addiction care, housing and the social supports associated with the model,” Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, the region’s medical officer of health, said in a statement to CTV News. “Our staff teams have started meeting internally and with partners to determine the local impacts of the province’s decision and plan for the submission process to apply for a HART hub. We are eager to receive more details about the application process for existing CTS sites to bring a HART hub to Waterloo Region as part of a comprehensive strategy that is needed to support prevention, harm reduction, treatment, recovery and rehabilitation.”

Wang also acknowledged the “important service” the Kitchener CTS site has played in the community since it opened in 2019. Adding, that it has “been a vital component of a comprehensive harm reduction strategy.”

WRIDS advises to never using dangerous substances alone, have naloxone nearby, visit a CTS site if possible and call 911 if you, or the person you’re with, needs medical assistance.

- With reporting by Krista Simpson