This Saskatchewan community had more meth in its wastewater than any Canadian city, study shows

The City of Prince Albert is pictured March 18, 2020.

A humble city in Saskatchewan appears to be consuming more methamphetamine than anywhere else in Canada, based on recent Statistics Canada data.

Between March 2022 and May 2023, the City of Prince Albert had more traces of meth per capita in its wastewater than any other city — by a wide margin — according to the interactive Statistics Canada dataset released last month.

Researchers found between 925 and 2,406 milligrams of meth per thousand people per day in Prince Albert’s sewage. The next highest levels were found in Saskatoon, ranging from 586 to 1,147 milligrams of meth per one thousand people per day, with those tests running from August 2022 to November 2023.

The project, called “Levels of Drugs in the Wastewater of Canadian Cities,” tested the effluent in Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Saskatoon, Prince Albert, Edmonton, and Metro Vancouver for traces of 10 different drugs between 2022 and 2023.

The federal agency says the wastewater samples were collected from water flowing into wastewater treatment plants for seven consecutive days during the second week of every month. Health Canada then analyzed the samples at a Toronto-based laboratory.

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The amount of meth found in Prince Albert’s sewers was approximately triple the national average, with cities like Halifax, Montreal, and Toronto reporting the lowest levels, followed by Vancouver then Edmonton. According to Statistics Canada, the City of Prince Albert paused its wastewater collection after May 2023.

“Drug use in Canada has become a significant public health concern, with opioid use, addiction, and resulting deaths standing out as particularly pressing issues,” Statistics Canada said in a news release.

“In the context of the ongoing opioid crisis in many parts of Canada, wastewater data can provide information to contribute to a better understanding of current drug use and emerging trends.”

The agency also tested for traces of fentanyl — a major factor in the overdose crisis felt across the country.

Levels of norfentanyl — a metabolite of the powerful opioid fentanyl — were found to be highest in Metro Vancouver. According to Statistics Canada, norfentanyl levels in Vancouver’s sewers were four to five times higher compared to all participating cities throughout 2022 and 2023.

Toronto and Edmonton had the next highest levels over that period, while Halifax, Montreal, and Saskatoon reported very low levels of norfentanyl in 2023.

“For Saskatoon, this represents a notable decrease compared with 2022, when levels were more like those seen in Edmonton and Toronto.”

Statistics Canada cautions some differences in the drug loads measured between cities can be influenced by factors like the size and configuration of the sewer system, biological conditions in the sewers, leaks, or chemicals introduced from commercial and industrial activities.

“As such, these results should be interpreted with caution.”