OPIOID MEMORIAL WEEKEND 2021

by the Opioid Poisoning Committee

Friday October 15 to Sunday October 17

Over the weekend the Committee ran an Opioid Memorial Weekend to raise awareness of opioid related deaths in Edmonton, Ponoka, and Wetaskiwin.  The number of preventable deaths related to opioid poisoning is on the rise and we wanted to dispel the myth that it is just a few locations or populations that are affected.  This is everywhere. 

Volunteers went into the neighbourhoods where we know someone died related to opioid poisoning* and placed a purple ribbon along with a white rose in a prominent place as a memorial.  We encouraged people in Edmonton, Ponoka, and Wetaskiwin to participate and place their own ribbons and flowers to commemorate their neighbours who have died.

A virtual press conference took place on Friday, October 15th.  View the recording here.

We encouraged everyone to learn about the crisis and how they can help, to participate with ribbons and flowers of their own, and to take action by writing to their representatives at all levels, asking for better access to data and better policies that help people.  No more neighbours should die due to opioid poisoning.

Find your local Alberta MLA’s contacts here.

Find your federal MP’s contacts here.

Ribbon and rose memorials were in the 76 communities on this map and listed below.

More information on opioid deaths is available in this Government of Alberta 2020 report.

MAP OF EDMONTON OPIOID POISONING DEATHS
JANUARY TO JUNE 2020

*neighbourhood data based on the most recent available information from this report.

Abbottsfield Alberta Avenue Allendale Baranow

Beacon Heights Beaumaris Belvedere Beverly Heights

Blue Quill Boyle Street Brander Gardens Calder

Calgary Trail North Callaghan Callingwood South Canora

Cashman Central MacDougall Clareview Town Centre Crestwood

Crystallina Nera West Delwood Downtown Dunluce

Eastwood Elmwood Empire Park Ermineskin

Garneau Glenwood Hagmann Estate Industrial High Park Industrial

Highlands Homesteader Hudson Inglewood

Keheewin Kennedale Industrial Killarney Kiniski Gardens

Larkspur Lee Ridge MacTaggart Malmo Plains

Mayfield McCauley McConachie Montrose

Oliver Ormsby Place Ottewell Overlanders

Parkdale Queen Alexandra Queen Mary Park Richfield

Rideau Park Ritchie Rosedale Industrial Rosslyn

Rundle Heights Rutherford Sherbrooke Silver Berry

Skyrattler Strathcona Strathcona Industrial Park Terrace Heights

Webber Greens West Jasper Place Westmount Westwood

Wild Rose Winterburn Industrial York