Nasal naloxone kits may be supplied to the City of Prince George through a one-time pilot project, the Standing Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs heard at its meeting on Tuesday, April 1.
The committee discussed lobbying the provincial government to reimburse the city for the costs associated with Prince George Fire Rescue attending medical-related calls.
Firefighters are dispatched to medical calls within the city.
Fire Chief Cliff Warner, attending what may be his last committee meeting before retiring at the end of May, said whether paramedics or firefighters arrive first on scene depends on timing and location.
The challenge in asking the province for reimbursement for these calls is that it's difficult to assess the cost to the city, said Eric Depenau, director of administrative services.
While overall costs for fire responses in 2024 are not yet available, Depenau said there are no mechanisms in place to calculate costs incurred at an emergency scene, such as doses of medication administered, number of bandages applied, labour used, and mileage to and from the event.
It may be possible to estimate some costs, Depenau said, but a precise figure would take time, resources, and procedural changes. He added that other communities that have approached the province for reimbursement with a dollar figure have not been successful.
A more fruitful approach, Depenau suggested, may be advocating for costs associated with medications like naloxone, a subject the committee has raised with the provincial cabinet.
Naloxone is a medication used to temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
“We do have fresh information about a pilot project,” Depenau said. “It’s a one-time case where nasal naloxone is being distributed to different first responder agencies. Potentially, the city could participate, but feedback suggests it may not make sense.”
He added that Prince George Fire Rescue currently uses injectable naloxone, which comes in ampoules from which several doses can be extracted.
Committee chair Garth Frizzell said there is a difference between accuracy and precision. Identifying a rough number that the city can present to both the province and other groups for joint advocacy could be more valuable than seeking a precise figure, he said.
Frizzell noted that when the city met with former mental health and addictions minister Sheila Whiteside last year, she committed to providing municipalities with free naloxone.
When Premier David Eby restructured his cabinet last year, mental health and addictions was folded back into the Ministry of Health.
Depenau said there has been no change in how the city procures naloxone since last year, except for the pilot project he mentioned. Data from that project could help assess its success and inform future decisions about making it permanent.
He clarified that while members of the public can walk into a pharmacy and request a free naloxone kit, the city must pay for those same materials.
Nasal naloxone, he said, costs about $125 to $150 per box.
Coun. Brian Skakun said this issue has been discussed since the tenure of former mayor Shari Green. There may be a cost to both fire and medical services attending a scene, he said, but there is also a human cost in the lives saved by these joint responses.
Coun. Susan Scott asked Depenau whether the city is responsible for purchasing naloxone used by local RCMP officers. Depenau said he didn’t believe the city bears those costs, but he would check.
Warner said from his perspective, the city has done good work advocating for naloxone, and that the medication should be free across the board, regardless of its form. He noted that using ampoules and syringes is less expensive overall than other methods.
The committee is currently finalizing dates for an upcoming advocacy delegation to Victoria, where they plan to meet with both government and opposition MLAs.
Ahead of that trip, Depenau suggested that committee members assemble a list of medical-related issues they’d like to advance while in the provincial capital.
