'Tranq dope' making dire situation worse on the streets of Alberta, outreach workers say

Troy Bevans and Lauren Cameron know better than most about the realities of drug use — they've seen it from both sides.

And as the two outreach workers set out for their shift in downtown Calgary on a recent afternoon, they say it's never been this bad or this dangerous.

"Tranq dope" is taking a toll, they say.

"It's really scary out there," said Cameron, a former "chaotic" drug user trying to help people living on the city's streets.

The numbers bear it out. 

Alberta poisoning deaths in April due to opioids hit 179, the highest number since the province started collecting data in 2016, according to the province's substance use surveillance system. The numbers were updated on Monday.

Weekly EMS responses to opioid-related emergencies have also been growing in frequency this year.

The weeks of June 5 and June 12 were the third and fourth highest on record, with 261 and 250 responses, respectively.

Bevans and Cameron are with the Calgary chapter of AAWEAR, which stands for the Alberta Alliance Who Educates and Advocates Responsibly.

Before they head out, they fill their backpacks with new meth pipes and straight shooters — which are mainly used for crack cocaine — along with basic necessities like hygiene kits, clothing and water.

What becomes quickly clear is there's more to this than cold, hard statistics. Real-world impacts are playing out on the streets of Calgary's downtown every day. 

Street outreach — involving face-to-face work with people living on the streets — is challenging and emotional. The workers hear stories, like from one man living on the streets who said that in the last week and a half, he knew of five people who had died.

On this afternoon, flanked by a new grocery store and the Central Library in the East Village, Bevans and Cameron approach a group of people who have gathered at the bottom of a parkade. For outreach, they often stick to two people in a group, so as not to overwhelm people.

They introduce themselves and ask what harm reduction items are needed. One woman, going through a difficult time, recognizes Bevans.