The drug epidemic and addiction crisis have quickly become a defining issue of Canada’s relationship with the United States. President Donald Trump has committed to implementing a 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian goods, citing a need to stem the flow of the deadly and highly profitable drug fentanyl between the countries. Both Canada and the United States have seen a consistent increase in usage of the drug over the last 10 years, along with increased manufacturing, trafficking, and dealing of this deadly poison.
While this issue has taken centre stage, different approaches for addressing drug trafficking and addiction have been tried across the country for years now. As of now, only Alberta stands as a clear example of a jurisdiction in Canada where opioid overdose deaths were down 38 percent in 2024, a decrease larger than anywhere in North America. Why? Because Alberta has effectively merged law enforcement and addiction treatment efforts to tackle both the supply and demand for illegal drugs in a fair, firm, and compassionate way.
When it comes to reducing the supply side of the drug issue, law enforcement efforts play a vital role. While many activists call for the removal of police from this conversation entirely, this simply does not work. Police and corrections involvement, intervention and consequences must be a significant part of our efforts.
Alberta has stepped up by working with national and international agencies to crack down on the production and trafficking of fentanyl. Enhanced border security, increased surveillance, and coordinated raids on drug labs are just a few measures the province has taken to disrupt the flow of illegal drugs.
Local police forces are also working hard to dismantle drug trafficking networks within Alberta. By targeting dealers and suppliers, law enforcement aims to cut off the distribution of fentanyl at its source. The more disruption of these criminal organizations, the better. Can we arrest our way out of the addiction crisis? Of course not, but decriminalization schemes and the normalization of hard drug use has been a sickening failure and has contributed to dystopic scenes that we see in cities across the country.
On the other side, you have the users who drive demand. Reducing that demand is essential to any credible drug strategy, and this is where Alberta’s approach truly shines getting people into recovery. In the first nine months of 2024, opioid-related deaths are down 38 per cent — a feat unmatched in North America.
Alberta is five years into a ten year strategy of building a recovery-oriented system of care to disrupt addiction, deliver comprehensive treatment, and support long-term recovery.
By partnering with law enforcement, Alberta delivers addiction treatment the moment someone is arrested. When individuals arrive in police cells, a health assessment is conducted, and if eligible, treatment medication like sublocade is offered. Use is voluntary. Sublocade reduces cravings and withdrawal symptoms for opioids, tricking a brain into thinking it has received an opioid without producing euphoria. Sublocade is an injection that lasts 30 days in the patient, its wide availability in Alberta is a game changer. This approach does not absolve criminal responsibility, but combines healthcare and law enforcement to deliver better outcomes.
You don’t have to have a run in with the law to get help. The province has introduced on-demand access to opioid agonist therapies like suboxone and sublocade. Today in Alberta, anyone can call the Virtual Opioid Dependency Program and get same-day access to these life-saving medications without fees or waitlists.
In a world where people who need help the most get the least, and those who need help least often get the most, Alberta has sought to turn this reality on its head.
In its correctional centers, Alberta has built a network of therapeutic living units providing high-quality mental health and treatment to incarcerated individuals. These units offer the best most intense treatment available. Alberta’s pioneering Correctional Therapeutic Living Unit Programs offer life-changing opportunities, helping individuals avoid relapse and reject a return to criminal activity upon release.
For anyone who thinks that providing deep therapy to prisoners is soft on crime, think again. These prisoners are engaged in treatment up to nine hours a day, it is tough, really tough. The kind of tough that changes you. These men and women sit a circle every day and face each other. They face their issues.
Alberta has also increased access to all forms of addiction treatment. Over the past five years, funding for bed-based addiction treatment has increased by over 50 per cent, allowing 10,000 more people each year to access detox, treatment, and recovery support.
Additionally, Alberta is investing $350 million to build 11 brand new world-class Recovery Communities. These long term centres range from 50-100 beds each, provide comprehensive addiction treatment with a focus on helping people rebuild their lives, including securing new employment opportunities. Five of these communities are being built in direct partnership with First Nations, providing hope for recovery to underserved communities. Alberta’s longer term model provides addiction treatment that also serves as housing in contrast to housing with a dash of “addiction supports.” A distinction that means everything.
Alberta’s aggressive efforts are a powerful example of what can be achieved with a firm, and compassionate approach to drugs and addiction. The province’s remarkable 38 per cent decrease in opioid-related deaths should inspire other regions to adopt similar strategies. The drug and addiction crisis, and now our relationship with the United States, demand bold solutions.
Alberta’s approach, emphasizing both cracking down on illegal markets and providing treatment for addiction, offers a path forward for North America.
National Post
Marshall Smith is the vice president of Rubicon Strategy and the former chief of staff to Premier Danielle Smith.