City emergency crews to administer drug that stops opioid withdrawal symptoms

Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service crews will soon give out a medication that stops withdrawal symptoms after someone is treated for an opioid overdose.

Emergency workers will be administering a drug called buprenorphine, after Health Canada granted WFPS permission to use the controlled substance.

“Buprenorphine is a medication that offers people who are in active addiction — so those people who have received naloxone as a result of an overdose and those that are experiencing significant and, at times, dangerous withdrawal symptoms — just a bit of a reprieve … (It) reduces cravings and prevents those immediate withdrawal symptoms, which allows more time to connect those patients to further care,” said Michelle Long, WFPS assistant chief of paramedic operations.

The treatment option is in response to a persistently high number of WFPS opioid calls.

“In July, we responded to (around) 700 opioid calls … That is a significant drain on our system and, more importantly, our crews are really left feeling as though they’re not really being able to help with the drug crisis, particularly when they’re responding to the same patients multiple times in one shift. Being able to offer buprenorphine as an option will allow us to help connect those community members to more support and further care,” said Long.

Back in 2019, the average number of patients WFPS treated for opioid use each month was 34. During April 2026 alone, there were 810 patients, the highest monthly total yet, WFPS said Monday.

Throughout 2025, WFPS provided 4,900 doses of naloxone, a medication that rapidly reverses the life-threatening effects of an opioid overdose. They’ve given out 5,126 doses in 2026 so far, with more than four months left in the year.

Most patients leave immediately after receiving naloxone, leaving little time for additional help to be provided, said Long. When people agree to take buprenorphine, which will be optional, that should allow more time to continue treatment, she said.

“It gives us the opportunity to keep (patients) on scene, transport them or just … connect them with the next level of care, rather than having them suffering from pain and symptoms associated with a sudden opioid withdrawal.”

WFPS expects to begin providing buprenorphine pills in late September or October, which would be offered to people who have received doses of naloxone.

While the drug will be a new option for paramedics, it has been used in hospitals and other health-care facilities for some time.

The head of the union that represents firefighters, including firefighter paramedics, said the additional treatment option is welcome.

“It gives us the opportunity to keep (patients) on scene, transport them or just … connect them with the next level of care, rather than having them suffering from pain and symptoms associated with a sudden opioid withdrawal. If they’re not suffering those cravings and, frankly, looking for the next high … maybe they’ll be open to exploring those options,” said Nick Kasper, president of the United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg.

Kasper said the drug should improve health outcomes, since it’s “very rare” for such patients to be treated at hospital.

However, he stressed the treatment won’t solve the broader substance use and addictions crisis.

A local community outreach co-ordinator said equipping WFPS crews with buprenorphine will greatly help people suffering from addictions.

“They can go into very serious withdrawal that is incredibly painful … You could also die from (that). I wish that people had as much or more access to (this type of) medication as a replacement as they have to the actual toxic drugs out there,” said Mitch Bourbonniere.

I wish that people had as much or more access to (this type of) medication as a replacement as they have to the actual toxic drugs out there.”

Bourbonniere works with the Downtown Community Safety Partnership and Okichidah Pimahtisiwin Kiskinawmatowin, which provides services to Indigenous men previously involved with gangs or the criminal justice system.

DCSP and OPK are partners in a Wayfinders program, which connects vulnerable people with services. Each member of the Wayfinders team typically revives people with naloxone four to five times per shift, said Bourbonniere.

While Rapid Access to Addictions medicine clinics provide similar medications, they have limited hours and capacity, while 24-7 access to the treatment is needed, he said.

“With the fire paramedics actually administering (this), it buys folks time with their withdrawal to get the help they need,” said Bourbonniere.

The union for Winnipeg paramedics also supports the change.

“Paramedics welcome any evidence-based tool that helps address the severe opioid crisis in our community.”

“Paramedics welcome any evidence-based tool that helps address the severe opioid crisis in our community,” said Kyle Ross, president of the Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union.

Other initiatives were recently added to boost the response to the drug crisis.

On June 29, WFPS started a three-month pilot project that aims to have a two-person paramedic team respond 24-7 to overdose calls in high-demand areas.

The provincially funded program relies on current staff and ambulances, as well as overtime hours, and has operated “most shifts” since, said Long.

“That overdose ambulance can sometimes see 15 patients in a day because typically … they’re not being transported to hospital. So that ambulance is very busy when it is on,” she said.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

X: @joyanne_pursaga