Overdose deaths in Canada fell in 2024, still higher than pre-pandemic

The Canadian Press

· Posted: Jun 25, 2025 6:20 PM EDT | Last Updated: 8 minutes ago

National wellness information released Wednesday shows overdose deaths successful Canada dropped successful 2024 but the toll still remained overmuch higher than it was earlier the COVID-19 pandemic.

A joint statement from the country's main aesculapian officers of health, main coroners and main aesculapian examiners said 7,146 radical died of opioid-related overdoses betwixt January and December 2024.

That's down from 8,623 deaths successful 2023 but overmuch higher than the 3,742 deaths reported successful 2019, according to information connected the Public Health Agency of Canada's website.

The connection said an mean of 20 radical a time died successful 2024 from evident opioid toxicity.

The connection noted that the nationalist numbers "mask important determination differences," with Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Northwest Territories reporting a emergence successful opioid-related deaths successful 2024.

The fig of radical who died decreased successful British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, New Brunswick and Yukon and stayed astir the aforesaid successful Manitoba, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

There was nary information disposable for Nunavut. 

Many Indigenous communities saw an summation successful opioid-related deaths, particularly among women, betwixt 2023 and 2024 "due to colonialization and continued marginalization," the connection said.

"The overdose crisis, driven by a toxic amerciable cause supply, is 1 of the astir superior nationalist wellness crises our country has ever faced."

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Some provinces and territories that had less deaths successful 2024 attributed the drop, astatine slightest partly, to "a displacement to little toxicity of the cause supply, based connected drug-checking information indicating a decrease successful fentanyl concentrations," the connection said.

Eighty per cent of the opioid toxicity deaths took spot successful British Columbia, Ontario and Alberta. Yukon, Alberta and Manitoba were each hard-hit connected a per-capita basis, with 20 oregon much deaths per 100,000 population, according to the PHAC report.

Seventy-one per cent of the deaths were among males. 

Stimulants often involved

Fentanyl was progressive successful 74 per cent of the opioid toxicity deaths. Seventy per cent of opioid toxicity deaths besides progressive a stimulant.

Stimulant drugs tin see cocaine, methamphetamine and medicine drugs specified arsenic amphetamines.

In summation to deaths, determination were 5,514 hospitalizations; 36,266 ambulance responses and 24,587 emergency department visits owed to suspected opioid-related cause toxicity crossed Canada successful 2024, the study said.

Those numbers were each astir 15 per cent little than what was seen successful 2023.

"We admit that the information successful this study whitethorn correspond stories of pain, grief, and trauma. This study cannot adequately reflect the load borne by Canadians," the bureau said connected its website.

"We admit each those impacted by substance use, and those who enactment to prevention lives and trim substance-related harms connected individuals and communities."

Canadian Press wellness sum receives enactment done a concern with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely liable for this content.