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home / 世界杯决赛2022

grassroots group launching anti-fentanyl billboards in north central

organizer ivy kennedy said the campaign "want(s) kids to know" about the fatal dangers of fentanyl and illicit drug use.

by larissa kurz

jun 7 2023
read time 4 minute read
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ivy kennedy, from the women of the dawn counselling centre, is calling for more action from local governments to aid in the overdose crisis, and spearheading an anti-fentanyl sign campaign in north central. kennedy stands in front of the centre for a portrait on tuesday, june 6, 2023 in regina. kayle neis / regina leader-post
ivy kennedy and granddaughter shay scales know what it is to grieve a loved one taken too soon.
their family has lost three members to overdoses in recent years, with the death of scales’ sister in 2021, a cousin in 2022 and her brother, just two months ago, to a benzodiazepine laced unexpectedly with fentanyl.
“she was so loving,” kennedy said, of her late granddaughter, “and she didn’t mean to hurt other people.”
the story is one that kennedy said many families in regina and across the province have to tell, and it’s why she has decided to take action for her community.
kennedy, who is the manager at the women of the dawn counselling centre, is spearheading a grassroots campaign to put up several large signs around regina’s core neighbourhood, to warn about the dangers of fentanyl and lacing in illicit drug supplies in the city.
“it’s our way for our granddaughter to let other people know that it leads to death,” kennedy said.
“having to see my brother and my sister, how it affected them, i wouldn’t wish that upon my worst enemy,” said scales. “i want more people to know about it, how bad it is.”
shay scales, granddaughter of manager ivy kennedy at the women of the dawn counselling centre, stands for a portrait behind a possible location for anti-fentanyl signs that will be posted around the north central neighbourhood, on tuesday, june 6, 2023 in regina.
shay scales, granddaughter of manager ivy kennedy at the women of the dawn counselling centre, stands for a portrait behind a possible location for anti-fentanyl signs that will be posted around the north central neighbourhood, on tuesday, june 6, 2023 in regina. kayle neis / regina leader-post
the campaign is planning four billboards and portable road signs, all centrally located in and around the north central neighbourhood. kennedy describes it as a “just say no” campaign at its heart, targeting a message to youth specifically.
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“we want our kids to know,” said kennedy. “we want to warn them that fentanyl kills, and not to trust anything given to them in a pill form.”
fentanyl is more prevalent now than it has ever been, said scales. the potent opioid is cheap on the streets — $4 a pill, she said — and now cut into most other illicit substances by dealers.
“drug dealers don’t care about life,” kennedy said. “it’s not only affected our own personal family, but it’s affecting many families. every day, we’re talking to people who’ve lost a child and they’re young.”

according to the saskatchewan coroners’ service, various forms of fentanyl were present in more than half of confirmed overdose deaths last year.

kennedy said overdoses and drug-related deaths have spiked in her neighbourhood in the last several years, causing major concern.

saskatchewan had a record number of overdose related deaths in both 2021 and 2022. regina police service reports there have already been 55 apparent overdose deaths in the first four months of 2023, a 65 per cent increase over the same time in 2020.

police recorded 169 overdoses events in april, and 690 events total between jan. 1 and april 30. two-thirds of those occurred in the central parts of the city, and only 20 per cent were calls attended by police.

kennedy said these numbers are a clear indication of a crisis, and tragedy is touching too many people with too little action.

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“those are our kids and young people dying, and we have to put a stop to it, somehow,” kennedy said.
the first sign will be going up later this week at dewdney avenue and robinson street, and then others at angus street and 9th avenue, and at 4th avenue and albert. a billboard is in the works as well, on saskatchewan drive.
they will all have messages like “say no to fentanyl” and “fentanyl kills.”
kennedy and the women of the dawn intend to cover the $500 a month and $1,000 a month rental costs themselves, but are seeking help from the community in donations to keep the campaign afloat moving forward. those interested can contact women of the dawn at their office, she said.
she’s also looking to engage with the powers that be — including the provincial government, the city of regina, the court and health systems and local school divisions — on how to build further on this message.
“we want to say to the government of saskatchewan, ‘look, we have a problem here and we want you to help us,’ ” said kennedy.
the billboards are just the beginning, said kennedy. women of the dawn is starting in regina, but wants to spread across the province and eventually include similar signage in other places like saskatoon and prince albert.

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it will rely on funding, she said, and the group is looking for partnerships, donations and reaching out to the federation of sovereign indigenous nations for assistance.
lkurz@postmedia.com

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larissa kurz
larissa kurz

larissa kurz is a health, education and general assignment reporter for the regina leader-post, whose work has also appeared in the saskatoon starphoenix and other postmedia papers.she is a university of saskatchewan alumni and has written for both print and digital news outlets in southern saskatchewan since 2019. she was part of the leader-post and starphoenix team that won the 2022 national newspaper award for breaking news.prior to coming to the leader-post in 2022, larissa worked for the moose jaw express and with glacier media in moose jaw and regina, sask.

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