The ongoing opioid crisis that has been plaguing Canada has been costing and straining emergency rooms more and more, and a recent federal release has some alarming news. 

The Canadian Institute for Health Information claims in the release that the number of people being admitted for opioid treatment every day has gone up twenty percent from last year. This brings it up to an of average sixteen people daily.

That’s the average federally. Here in the Five Hills Health Region, it’s harder to keep track of numbers according to Teri Mawson with Mental Health and Addictions Services.

“Some sort of crisis has come about and [patients] are coming into a service line, versus someone who comes through outpatient counselling,” said Mawson. “We don’t keep track of these numbers so it's hard to really grasp because we're focused on what we have with our day to day.”

She added that it’s hard to notice an increase of patients and keep track of them, as they remain focused on getting them the help they need.

“They are coming in after they've come to a place of recognizing that they are in some sort of need of change. Whether it be people wanting to access the methadone program that we have in Moose Jaw or wanting to know how to get into detox or inpatient treatment.”