Estevan saw its first drug overdose death of 2023 last Friday.

The Estevan Police Service tracks overdose deaths that get reported to the service.

Here's what the overdose numbers look like for the past six years in Estevan, according to the EPS:

  • 2023: 1 overdose death to date (Jan. 13)
  • 2022: 3 overdose deaths
  • 2021: 1 overdose death
  • 2020: 2 overdose deaths
  • 2019: 0 overdose deaths
  • 2018: 1 overdose death
  • 2017: 0 overdose deaths

Police Chief Rich Lowen cautioned that these numbers only include the deaths that are reported to police, and that his staff does not track people who go directly into the medical system.

He said the numbers would be higher if the deaths tracked by the Saskatchewan Health Authority were included.