Why are drug overdose deaths rising in Edmonton, even as they fall across Canada?

THE OPIOID CRISIS Outlier on the Prairies Why are drug-overdose deaths rising in Edmonton, even as they fall across the province and the country? ALANNA SMITH HEALTH REPORTER PHOTOGRAPHY BY MEGAN ALBU EDMONTON THE GLOBE AND MAIL PUBLISHED MAY 5, 2026 COMMENTS SHARE SAVE FOR LATER In downtown Edmonton, outreach volunteer Angie Staines digs into bags hanging from her back and arms to fish out safer drug-use supplies for a group that has gathered outside a local health centre. She distributes sterile pipes, needles and cookers to anyone who needs them, while offering snacks, bandages and cigar…