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