Opioid- and Stimulant-related Harms in Canada: Key findings

The most recent available data on overdoses and deaths involving opioids and/or stimulants from January 2016 to September 2025 in Canada, where available.

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Context

The toxic drug crisis is one of the most serious public health crises Canada has ever faced, tragically impacting people who use substances, their families, and communities across the country. Canada has witnessed a substantial increase in toxic drug poisonings since national surveillance began in 2016 by the Public Health Agency of Canada. These harms became even more pronounced during the COVID-19 pandemic, but more recently have begun to decline closer to pre-pandemic levels. However, accidental poisonings remain the leading cause of death for males aged 20-49 and females aged 20-39 in Canada in 2024Footnote 1.

Presented here are the most recent available data on opioid- and stimulant-related poisonings in Canada, where available. For more details on additional studies and other products related to the toxic drug crisis, refer to the Data, surveillance and research page.

Key updates

Reported in the last 12 months () in Canada

{Deaths}

Apparent opioid toxicity deathsFootnote 2Footnote 3Footnote 4
(%% higher than the previous 12 months)

{Deaths per day}

Deaths per day on average

{Hospitalizations}

Opioid-related poisoning hospitalizationsFootnote 9Footnote 10
(%% higher than the previous 12 months)

{Hospitalizations per day}

Hospitalizations per day on average

{ED visits}

Opioid-related poisoning Emergency Department (ED) visitsFootnote 11Footnote 12Footnote 13
(%% higher than the previous 12 months)

{ED visits per day}

ED visits per day on average

{Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responses}

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responses to suspected opioid-related overdosesFootnote 15
(%% higher than the previous 12 months)

{EMS responses per day}

EMS responses per day on average

Report summary

Deaths

Hospitalizations

Emergency department visits

Emergency medical services

Footnotes
Footnote 1

Based on data from Statistics Canada Table 13-10-0394-01 (Leading causes of death) and Table 13-10-0156-01 (Chapter XX: External causes of morbidity and mortality). Accidental poisoning deaths include all deaths from causes X40–X49.

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Footnote 2

Due to the time required to complete death investigations, data on apparent opioid and stimulant toxicity deaths for the four most recent quarters are considered preliminary and subject to change. Numbers and trends should be interpreted with caution.

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Footnote 3

Based on data available from 12 provinces and territories, including British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Yukon, and Northwest Territories.

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Footnote 4

The national overall count includes deaths from British Columbia related to all unregulated drugs (2024 onwards) and Quebec related to drug or opioid-related intoxication (2024 onwards).

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Footnote 5

Based on data available from nine provinces and territories, including British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Yukon, and Northwest Territories.

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Footnote 6

Based on data available from nine provinces or territories, including British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Northwest Territories..

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Footnote 7

Opioids with a pharmaceutical origin refer to opioids that were manufactured by a pharmaceutical company and approved for medical purposes in humans. Pharmaceutical origin does not indicate how the opioids were obtained (e.g., through personal prescription or by other means).

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Footnote 8

Based on data available from 11 provinces and territories, including British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Yukon, and Northwest Territories.

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Footnote 9

Data on hospitalizations from Quebec are not included in the dataset used for analysis. As a result, Quebec is excluded.

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Footnote 10

Data from the Discharge Abstract Database on opioid and stimulant-related poisoning hospitalizations after March 31, 2025 are preliminary and subject to change. Numbers and trends should be interpreted with caution.

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Footnote 11

Based on data available from seven provinces and territories, including British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Yukon.

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Footnote 12

Data from the National Ambulatory Care Reporting System (NACRS) on opioid and stimulant-related poisoning ED visits after March 31, 2025 are preliminary and subject to change. Numbers and trends should be interpreted with caution.

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Footnote 13

Nova Scotia data from April to September 2025 were not available at the time of this update.

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Footnote 14

Based on data available from six provinces and territories, including Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Yukon.

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Footnote 15

Based on data available from nine provinces and territories, including British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories.

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Footnote 16

Based on data available from 10 provinces and territories, including British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories.

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This update is based on data submitted to or extracted by the Public Health Agency of Canada on or before . New or revised data reported after this date will be reflected in future updates. Differences may exist in case identification and reporting, type of data reported and time period of available data. Comparisons over time and between provinces and territories should be interpreted with caution.

Acknowledgments

We recognize that the data in this report may represent stories of pain, grief, and trauma. This report cannot adequately reflect the burden borne by Canadians. We acknowledge all those impacted by substance use, and those who work to save lives and reduce substance-related harms on individuals and communities.

This update would not be possible without the collaboration and dedication of provincial and territorial (PT) offices of Chief Coroners and Chief Medical Examiners as well as PT public health and health partners and Emergency Medical Services data providers. We would also like to acknowledge the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) for collecting and providing the data used for reporting opioid- and stimulant-related poisoning hospitalizations and emergency department visits.

Suggested Citation

Substance-related Overdose and Mortality Surveillance Task Group on behalf of the Council of Chief Medical Officers of Health. Opioid- and Stimulant-related Harms in Canada. Ottawa: Public Health Agency of Canada; March 2026.

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