Fraser Valley ( from Union of Canadian Correctional Officers) – On June 11, 2026, five Correctional Officers required medical treatment after being exposed to a highly toxic substance later identified as fentanyl.
Three officers were transported to hospital by ambulance, some required Narcan, and one
officer required chest compressions while en route to the hospital. The exposure occurred
during a routine targeted search conducted by Correctional Officers. During the search, an
inmate became assaultive and attempted to destroy evidence by dispersing what was later
confirmed to be fentanyl, exposing the responding officers.
An Illicit Drug Crisis Inside Federal Penitentiaries
This incident is not an isolated event. As violence continues to rise in Canada’s federal
institutions, so too does the volume of illicit drugs entering our prisons.
“We simply cannot ignore the reality facing Correctional Officers every day. The abundance
of dangerous drugs inside our institutions is putting officers’ lives at risk,” said John Randle,
Regional President for UCCO-SACC-CSN’s Pacific Region. “Our members were simply
doing their jobs when they were exposed to one of the most lethal drugs on the streets. This
should never happen.”
Dangerous Policies Are Making a Serious Problem Worse
According to the Union of Canadian Correctional Officers UCCO-SACC-CSN, this incident
underscores the urgent need for stronger security measures not weaker ones.
“At the very moment that illicit drugs are becoming more prevalent and violence is
increasing, CSC is moving in the opposite direction,” said Frédérick Lebeau, National
President of UCCO-SACC-CSN.
“CSC has announced cuts to security positions that will significantly reduce our ability to
detect and intercept drugs before they enter federal institutions. At the same time, it has
implemented Commissioner’s Directive 585 (CD 585), which weakens disciplinary
measures related to institutional drug use under the guise of harm reduction. These decisions
will only make federal institutions more dangerous for Correctional Officers, staff, inmates,
and ultimately the general public. The policies that once supported a coherent strategy to
combat illicit drugs in our institutions are being dismantled at precisely the wrong time.”
