New statistics from the Regina Police Service show a record year of gun violence in the city since the service changed how they kept records in 2004.
Regina saw 153 violent gun occurrences in 2018, an increase of 25 per cent when compared to the previous year.
Regina Police suspect it is the highest number ever and are linking the rise to an increase of drug use.
"We've been saying for the past two and a half years that the increase of firearms in our community are likely related to the increase in drugs--not just the amount but the severity of drugs being used," Amy Balfour, of the Regina Police Strategic Services said.
Balfour specifically linked the rise in gun violence to meth.
"Methamphetamine is a very, very addictive drug that makes people very unpredictable and quite irrational,” Balfour said.
Spurgeon Root has been a pastor in North Central Regina for two decades. He says that increased meth use has exacerbated crime in the area.
"People who are criminally involved, if they're also using meth, things that normally wouldn't seem like a good idea suddenly seem like a good idea and you've got the energy to do it,” Root said.
A violent gun occurrence is any incident that may involve a gun—whether a gun is seen or just threatened—and does not necessarily involve a shooting or death.
Police are tackling the problem by tracking crime and holding amnesty days, where people can turn in weapons with no questions asked. They have held two previous amnesty days and collected nearly one hundred weapons on the most recent one.
Root says the solution involves a broad strategy.
“Increasing the education and increasing the options for education is always beneficial,” said Root.
Root is also calling for more treatment beds.
