Alberta is shuttering Lethbridge’s overdose prevention site following a sharp drop in overdose deaths. “In 2023, we had 117 overdose deaths in the Lethbridge-area and in 2025, it’s down to 11,” said Alberta Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services Mike Ellis on Friday. “That’s almost a 90 per cent drop so this shows us that the system is working.” The supervised consumption site, which first opened in 2020, featured three consumption booths that operated daily. In December, Lethbridge Mayor Blaine Hyggen sent a letter to the province urging the site be closed and its funding reallocated. That funding — approximately $3.9 million annually — will go to outreach teams and recovery supports in Lethbridge. “We wanted to make sure that those dollars would be kept in our community,” Hyggen said. The overdose site sits next to the Lethbridge shelter operated by the Blood Tribe Department of Health (BTDH), which said it was happy to see funding going towards addiction and support recovery. “We support the reinvestment toward recovery and outreach services at the Lethbridge wellness shelter and stabilization unit,” the BTDH said in a statement. “The transition away from the DCS sites will allow for the provision of a broader range of services to reduce harm and improve direct access to treatment for the people we serve.” Advocates critical of closure While the closure of the site is celebrated by some, other harm reduction advocates argue the move could lead to more overdose deaths. Advocates have also raised questions about where users can access clean drug paraphernalia, which are currently available at the site. “They do get safe supplies … that helps (reduce the prevalence of) blood borne illnesses such as HIV and hepatitis C,” said Amber Jensen with Moms Stop the Harm. “I’m really quite worried about the health, safety and well-being of the people that use drugs in our community.” The overdose prevention site will close June 30.
