Overdose Awareness Alberta

09/02/2025

💜🥹

To all those there that have recovered, are on the path to recovery, and to those experiencing addiction…

And to the families and friends of those that lost a loved one to overdose:

Always know we are here to listen, learn and understand.
Remember, every journey to a higher place starts with one single step, and it’s clear from being here today that I know we are headed in the right direction in the community.

We recognize you, we appreciate you, and we know that we will get there, together…

Because in this community, we always do what we can to support those that need our energy the most.

WHEREAS… overdose continues to be a leading cause of preventable death in our region, affecting families, friends, and loved ones from all walks of life; and
WHEREAS… this crisis can be impacted by stigma, silence, and barriers in accessing life-saving resources; and
WHEREAS… it is important to stand in solidarity with those we’ve lost, those who continue to struggle, and the families who carry the pain of overdose loss every day; and
WHEREAS… we believe that no one should be left behind, and every life lost to overdose is one too many; and
WHEREAS… we encourage all residents to take this opportunity to remember those we’ve lost, support those still here, and work together to end the stigma and save lives.

NOW THEREFORE, I, Sandy Bowman, Mayor of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, do hereby proclaim August 31st, 2025, as:
OVERDOSE AWARENESS DAY!

Thank you, and have a great day, everyone.

08/31/2025

🚨 Important Update ‼️

Due to the air quality today being at 10+, we unfortunately have been advised to cancel today’s event for everyone’s health and safety.

💜 The Saline Creek Bridge & MAC island wave will still be lit purple tonight in honor of those we’ve lost to overdose.

For anyone who wishes (and if the air quality improves), we invite you to join us at 8:00 PM for a quiet tribute and moment of remembrance.

Thank you for understanding, and please take care of yourselves. 💜t

08/31/2025

Fentanyl doesn’t just take lives—it steals futures, shatters families, and leaves behind empty chairs that should never be empty. Every overdose is a story unfinished, a voice silenced too soon. We don’t just lose them once; we lose them over and over again in every missed moment, every unspoken word, every chair that should be filled with laughter but instead echoes with grief. No one should have to see their loved one’s face in an empty chair. We fight for awareness, for change, and for the ones who can still be saved. Because life won’t wait—next year is too late.

08/30/2025

This Sunday we gather for Overdose Awareness Day – at Kiyām Community Park, 12–4 PM. 💜

A day to remember those we’ve lost, support those who grieve, and break the stigma around addiction. Wear purple, stand with us, and help show that every life matters.

08/30/2025

This Sunday is Overdose Awareness Day. On this day we remember those lost to the poisoned drug crisis, including far too many people experiencing homelessness — friends, family, community. And we commit to continuing the work towards a world without overdose. 💜

🧭 To find an event near you, visit https://loom.ly/V9oAnnQ

08/19/2025

💜 OVERDOSE AWARENESS DAY – FORT MCMURRAY 💜
📍 Kiyām Community Park
📅 August 31, 2025 | ⏰ 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM.



We’re inviting local businesses, artists, support services, and community members to come together for a powerful day of remembrance, connection, and healing.

This event is for the lives we’ve lost, the families still grieving, and the people still fighting. It’s about ending the stigma, spreading awareness, and showing that Fort McMurray stands together.

🟣 Small businesses: Set up a booth for free! Show off your services or creations and connect with people in our community.
🟣 Counselors, support workers, and advocates: Be there to share resources and offer hope.
🟣 Community members: Come as you are. Wear purple. Bring a friend. Add a name to the memorial wall.

We’ve got:
✨ Purple ribbons
✨ Community booths
✨ Memorial space
✨ Support resources
✨ Good people doing good things

📩 Want to get involved or set up a table?
Message us or email: [email protected]

Let’s stand together. Let’s remember together.
Let’s fight for the ones still here. 💜

08/16/2025

💜 International Overdose Awareness Day 💜
Every person lost to overdose had a name, a story, a reason to live.
On August 31st, we come together to remember them, support one another, and fight stigma.

📅 Sunday, August 31, 2025
📍 Kiyām Community Park, Fort McMurray
⏰ 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM

✨ Free community event | All are welcome.

08/11/2025

August is Overdose Awareness Month 💜
Every life lost to overdose leaves behind a family, a story, and a hole that can never be filled.
This month, we come together to remember those we’ve lost, support those still here, and fight the stigma that keeps people from getting help.
Why it matters:
Overdose is one of the leading causes of preventable death in Canada.
Many lives could be saved with access to harm reduction, naloxone, and compassionate support.
Stigma and silence stop people from reaching out for help—awareness can change that.
🪑 The Purple Chair Project returns on August 31 at Kiyām Community Park, Fort McMurray. Each purple chair represents a life gone too soon—and a reminder that we can do better, together.
📅 How you can take part this August:
✅ Wear purple and share your support on social media
✅ Learn how to use a naloxone kit
✅ Start conversations about stigma and support
✅ Join us August 31 for remembrance, healing, and hope

Awareness is free. Love is free. Showing up is free.

Let’s use August to remember, to educate, and to act.

07/02/2025

💜 This is more than a chair.
This is someone’s son. Someone’s sister. Someone’s everything.

Every name written here… is a life lost to overdose. A person who should still be here.
And this chair is just one of many.

Fort McMurray, the overdose crisis is not a headline—it’s home.
And on August 31st, we’ll gather again. To write names. To remember. To say out loud: they mattered.

Join us at The Purple Chair Project.
📍 Kiyām Community Park | 📅 Sunday, August 31 | 2:00 pm
A free event for remembrance, healing, and hope.

Let’s fill the park with love—not silence.
Let’s show the world: No more empty chairs.

07/02/2025

💜 The Purple Chair Project – Fort McMurray
📅 Sunday, August 31 | 📍 Kiyām Community Park

Awareness should be free—because lives depend on it.
Each purple chair represents someone we’ve lost to overdose.

Join us for a day of remembrance, healing, and hope.
✨ Memorials • Resources • Support • Community
✅ Free to attend. All are welcome.

Let’s stand together. No more empty chairs. 💜