Health Statistics: Opioids

"The COVID-19 outbreak is worsening the already deadly and ongoing public health crisis of opioid overdoses and death. It is having a tragic impact on people who use substances, their families, and communities across Canada. People who use substances, such as opioids, cocaine, and methamphetamine, are experiencing a number of increased risks, with several jurisdictions reporting higher rates of fatal overdoses and other harms.
This update includes available data on overdoses and deaths involving opioids and/or stimulants from January 2016 to June 2020, where available. Recognizing that harms related to opioids, stimulants, and other substances extend beyond overdoses (poisonings) and deaths, we continue to work with the provinces and territories to build a broad understanding of harms and substances involved to better respond to the crisis."

Includes breakdowns for total, sex, age, substance, and origins.
As with all statistics, check all the footnotes, notes, information, and definitions within the report.

""Canada is facing a national opioid crisis, evidenced by the growing number of overdoses and opioid related deaths. In 2018, Health Canada launched a multi-year public education campaign to address the growing opioid crisis and to educate Canadians on the risks associated with opioids as well as the role of stigma as a barrier to treatment. The current research project was undertaken to help Health Canada gain insights Canadians' attitudes and perceptions toward opioids. Feedback from the research will provide Health Canada with evidence-based data and insights to guide their public education campaigns"."

"The COVID-19 outbreak is worsening the already deadly and ongoing public health crisis of opioid overdoses and death. It is having a tragic impact on people who use substances, their families, and communities across Canada. People who use substances, such as opioids, cocaine, and methamphetamine, are experiencing a number of increased risks, with several jurisdictions reporting higher rates of fatal overdoses and other harms.
This update includes available data on overdoses and deaths involving opioids and/or stimulants between January 2016 and June 2020, where available. Recognizing that harms related to opioids, stimulants, and other substances extend beyond overdoses (poisonings) and deaths, we continue to
work with the provinces and territories to build a broad understanding of harms and substances involved to better respond to the crisis."

From the report: "On December 18, 2018, Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman, Health, Seniors and Active Living Minister Cameron Friesen and Robert-Falcon Ouellette, Member of Parliament for Winnipeg Centre announced the creation of the Illicit Drug Task Force, signaling a coordinated Manitoba response to the challenges posed by illicit drugs. This organized approach is a result of the significant impacts that substance use has on individuals, families and communities across the province....The use of illicit drugs, especially methamphetamine, has increased in Manitoba. Between 2014 and 2017, there were 337 opioid-related deaths, and in 50 of those or 15%, methamphetamine was detected in the toxicology results. In 2017, there were 35 methamphetamine-related deaths ..."

Includes total numbers, and sex and age breakdowns. As always, check the notes on the statistics - for example, there is a Case Definition section that begins "...There is currently no national case definition for suspected opioid overdoses attended by Emergency Medical Services. Therefore, each region reports data based on their respective provincial or territorial case definition. Due to differences in case definitions, comparisons over time and between provinces and territories should be interpreted with caution...."

"The COVID-19 outbreak is worsening the already deadly and ongoing public health crisis of opioid overdoses and death. It is having a tragic impact on people who use substances, their families, and communities across Canada. People who use substances, such as opioids, cocaine, and methamphetamine, are experiencing a number of increased risks, with several jurisdictions reporting higher rates of fatal overdoses and other harms.
This update includes available data on overdoses and deaths involving opioids and/or stimulants between January 2016 and June 2020, where available. Recognizing that harms related to opioids, stimulants, and other substances extend beyond overdoses (poisonings) and deaths, we continue to
work with the provinces and territories to build a broad understanding of harms and substances involved to better respond to the crisis."

"Canada is facing a national opioid overdose epidemic, with deaths due to opioid overdoses continuing to rise dramatically. To that end, the opioid experiences of the Kingston, Frontenac, and Lennox and Addington communities, the regional hub for southeastern Ontario and the home of Queen’s University, may provide meaningful insights. This article provides a description of recent activities to address the local opioid crisis, a rationale for their adoption and the context in which they are being undertaken."