In Saskatoon, a city grappling with a surge in homelessness and addiction, the fire department has become an unexpected first responder to the front lines of a growing crisis. The numbers paint a stark picture: a near doubling of overdose calls and a more than doubling of encampment fires in 2025. This has placed a substantial strain on the city's firefighters, who are now questioning the very nature of their role.
Jayden Poirier, an executive member of the firefighters' union, captures the dilemma: "When we're busy doing these overdoses on repeat, it takes away from our core services." This shift in focus raises important questions about the evolving role of emergency services in communities facing complex social issues.
The data reveals a dramatic increase in demand for the fire department's services. Overall calls rose by 13.2% last year, with a particularly sharp rise in overdose responses. In March alone, the department responded to over 500 overdoses, a figure that was surpassed in April 2026. This surge has had a ripple effect, impacting other areas of the department's work, such as fire inspections, which saw a significant drop.
The challenge is not unique to Saskatoon. Steve Skoworodko, a paramedic and past president of the Paramedic Services Chiefs of Saskatchewan, highlights a similar trend across the province. He notes a doubling of paramedic calls in the last decade and a concerning level of burnout among paramedics, many of whom are leaving for other jobs, including firefighting.
This crisis in emergency services is a symptom of a larger societal issue. As homelessness and addiction rates rise, the demand for emergency medical services increases, placing an unsustainable burden on first responders. The solution, according to Poirier, may lie in reevaluating core values and services to adapt to this "new normal."
In my opinion, this story highlights the urgent need for a comprehensive approach to addressing homelessness and addiction. It's not enough to simply respond to the symptoms; we must address the root causes. Otherwise, we risk overwhelming our emergency services and, ultimately, failing those most in need.
