2021 provided a record year for drug overdoses in the Queen City.

The Regina Police Service (RPS) reported 160 apparent deaths last year, making another increase. In 2018, Regina saw 31 overdose deaths, decreasing in 2019 to 21. In 2020, that number increased to 111.

Regina Police Cheif Evan Bray said he expects the number of overdoses in the city to be even higher than the 1,800 that were reported.

“That number we know is signally higher because a lot of overdoses go unreported when they got someone in their presence that can administer Narcan, and often emergency services aren’t called at all.”

The year-end numbers were presented at a Board of Commissioners meeting earlier this week.

Police attended 341 apparent overdoes in 2021, administering Narcan in 27.

By location, the Central saw 65 per cent of all overdoses, with the South seeing only 18, and the North seeing 16 per cent.

December saw the most overdose deaths with 23, with the last three months of 2021 seeing 61 apparent overdose deaths, 38 per cent of all deaths happening in the year.