“Alberta’s government thanks the Canadian Centre of Recovery Excellence (CoRE) for producing rigorous, high-quality research that helps inform responsible and evidence-based addiction policy. Its groundbreaking, peer-reviewed study published in the global scientific journal, Addiction, provides important insight into what happened after the Red Deer OPS closed.
“The findings are clear. The closure of the Red Deer site did not lead to an increase in mortality, emergency department visits, or EMS (ambulance) calls for site users. Additionally, more people who had previously used the closed Red Deer site started opioid agonist treatment, which is proven to save lives and support recovery.
“CoRE’s study is the first of its kind and is scientifically important in understanding how sites like this are used and the impact on health services. Alberta is the only jurisdiction requiring drug consumption services to operate like other health services by collecting health care identifiers. This allowed CoRE to follow individuals over time using validated health data, rather than relying on broad community trends or surveys that can be influenced by unrelated factors. This produced stronger data – which leads to better decisions and better health policy.
“This research reinforces a fundamental belief that people struggling with addiction deserve, and need, a real path to recovery – not a system that leaves them trapped in perpetual addiction. Users of drug consumption services are real people with severe substance use disorder and, in many cases, concurrent mental illness. These Albertans deserve care that supports dignity, hope and a path forward to rebuild their lives.
“The Alberta Recovery Model is about meeting people where they are, while also helping them move forward into treatment, stability and recovery. CoRE’s published findings show that when treatment is accessible and recovery-focused supports are in place, more people pursue recovery.
“CoRE will continue following outcomes over a longer period so Alberta can keep learning, improving and making decisions grounded in evidence.”
Related information
- Healthcare utilization and mortality after overdose prevention site closure: A linked cohort analysis using segmented difference-in-differences time series
- CoRE: Landmark evidence shows closing Alberta Overdose Prevention Site led to no increase in overdose deaths and an increase in life-saving treatment
- Alberta Recovery Model
