Opioid-related harms in Canada

• Western Canada continues to be the most impacted region of the country, but rates have increased in other regions, including Ontario.
• A significant increase in rates of apparent opioid-related deaths at the national level was observed between January 2016 and June 2017; the rates remained high from July 2017 to June 2019.

In 2019, between January and June, 2,142 deaths occured, of which 94% were accidental (unintentional). Although regional variations exist, at the national-level, among accidental apparent opioid-related deaths:

In 2019, between January and March, there were 1,223 hospitalizations due to opioid-related poisoning, of which 62% were accidental (unintentional). Although regional variations exist, at the national-level, among accidental opioid-related poisoning hospitalizations:

Based on available data from January to September 2019: