Opioid- and Stimulant-related Harms in Canada Published: (September 2023): Health Infobase

Key Findings
Maps
Graphs
Technical Notes

Key Findings
Maps

Graphs
Technical Notes

Select an item from each list below:

Crude rate (per 100,000 population) of total apparent opioid toxicity deaths by province or territory in 2023 (Jan to Mar)

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Data on hospitalizations from Quebec are not included in the dataset used for analysis. As a result, Quebec is excluded. Refer to the Technical Notes for more information.
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). Data on origin of opioids were only available for deaths with completed investigations from 2018 onward from six provinces and territories. More information on origin data can be found in the Technical Notes.
Suppressed (Suppr.) – Data may be suppressed in provinces or territories with low numbers of cases in order to comply with confidentiality rules. Refer to Technical notes for more information.
Suppressed (Suppr.) – Data may be suppressed in provinces or territories with low numbers of cases in order to comply with confidentiality rules. Refer to Technical notes for more information.
Not available (n/a) – Data were not available at the time of this publication.
Data from April 2022 to March 2023 were not available for Manitoba.
Apparent opioid toxicity death (AOTD): A death caused by intoxication/toxicity (poisoning) resulting from substance use, where one or more of the substances is an opioid, regardless of how it was obtained (e.g. illegally or through personal prescription). Other substances may also be involved. Data on apparent opioid toxicity deaths and stimulant toxicity deaths are not mutually exclusive. A high proportion of deaths involving a stimulant also involved an opioid. Adding up those numbers would result in an overestimation of the burden of opioids and stimulants.
Apparent stimulant toxicity death (ASTD): A death caused by intoxication/toxicity (poisoning) resulting from substance use, where one or more of the substances is a stimulant, regardless of how it was obtained (e.g. illegally or through personal prescription). Other substances may also be involved. Data on apparent opioid toxicity deaths and stimulant toxicity deaths are not mutually exclusive. A high proportion of deaths involving a stimulant also involved an opioid. Adding up those numbers would result in an overestimation of the burden of opioids and stimulants.
Data on opioid-related and stimulant-related poisoning hospitalizations are not mutually exclusive. A proportion of poisoning hospitalizations involving a stimulant also involved an opioid. Adding up those numbers would result in an overestimation of the burden of opioids and stimulants. Stimulant-related poisoning hospitalizations involving cocaine and other psychostimulants may exceed 100% as poisonings may co-occur.
Until investigations are completed, some provinces and territories report fentanyl specific information only or report data on fentanyl and fentanyl analogues together. Therefore, some deaths involving fentanyl analogues may be included in the fentanyl percentages.
Data from January to March 2023 were not available for northern and rural Manitoba.
Totals for sex by age group may not match those from other tables as they do not include cases with missing sex, other sex or missing age.
Totals used to calculate age-adjusted rates do not include cases with missing age.
The ICD-10-CA code for poisoning by fentanyl and derivatives was introduced April 2018. Fentanyl-specific data were not available prior to this date.

This update is based on data submitted to the Public Health Agency of Canada on or before February 1, 2023. Due to differences in identifying and reporting cases, comparisons over time and between provinces and territories should be interpreted with caution. Refer to the Technical Notes for more information.

Crude rate (per 100,000 population) of total apparent opioid toxicity deaths by province or territory in 2023 (Jan to Mar)
Region	Crude rate
2023 (Jan to Mar) - Canada	20.3
2023 (Jan to Mar) - British Columbia	48.1
2023 (Jan to Mar) - Alberta	38.2
2023 (Jan to Mar) - Saskatchewan	13.1
2023 (Jan to Mar) - Manitoba	Not available
2023 (Jan to Mar) - Ontario	17.0
2023 (Jan to Mar) - Quebec	5.1
2023 (Jan to Mar) - New Brunswick	5.4
2023 (Jan to Mar) - Nova Scotia	5.9
2023 (Jan to Mar) - Prince Edward Island	4.7
2023 (Jan to Mar) - Newfoundland and Labrador	6.8
2023 (Jan to Mar) - Yukon	27.4
2023 (Jan to Mar) - Northwest Territories	0.0
2023 (Jan to Mar) - Nunavut	0.0

Data on hospitalizations from Quebec are not included in the dataset used for analysis. As a result, Quebec is excluded. Refer to the Technical Notes for more information.
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). Data on origin of opioids were only available for deaths with completed investigations from 2018 onward from six provinces and territories. More information on origin data can be found in the Technical Notes.
Suppressed (Suppr.) – Data may be suppressed in provinces or territories with low numbers of cases in order to comply with confidentiality rules. Refer to Technical notes for more information.
Suppressed (Suppr.) – Data may be suppressed in provinces or territories with low numbers of cases in order to comply with confidentiality rules. Refer to Technical notes for more information
Not available (n/a) – Data were not available at the time of this publication.
Data from April 2022 to March 2023 were not available for Manitoba.
Apparent opioid toxicity death (AOTD): A death caused by intoxication/toxicity (poisoning) resulting from substance use, where one or more of the substances is an opioid, regardless of how it was obtained (e.g. illegally or through personal prescription). Other substances may also be involved. Data on apparent opioid toxicity deaths and stimulant toxicity deaths are not mutually exclusive. A high proportion of deaths involving a stimulant also involved an opioid. Adding up those numbers would result in an overestimation of the burden of opioids and stimulants.
Apparent stimulant toxicity death (ASTD): A death caused by intoxication/toxicity (poisoning) resulting from substance use, where one or more of the substances is a stimulant, regardless of how it was obtained (e.g. illegally or through personal prescription). Other substances may also be involved. Data on apparent opioid toxicity deaths and stimulant toxicity deaths are not mutually exclusive. A high proportion of deaths involving a stimulant also involved an opioid. Adding up those numbers would result in an overestimation of the burden of opioids and stimulants.
Data on opioid-related and stimulant-related poisoning hospitalizations are not mutually exclusive. A proportion of poisoning hospitalizations involving a stimulant also involved an opioid. Adding up those numbers would result in an overestimation of the burden of opioids and stimulants. Stimulant-related poisoning hospitalizations involving cocaine and other psychostimulants may exceed 100% as poisonings may co-occur.
Until investigations are completed, some provinces and territories report fentanyl specific information only or report data on fentanyl and fentanyl analogues together. Therefore, some deaths involving fentanyl analogues may be included in the fentanyl percentages.
Data from January to March 2023 were not available for northern and rural Manitoba.
Totals for sex by age group may not match those from other tables as they do not include cases with missing sex, other sex or missing age.
Totals used to calculate age-adjusted rates do not include cases with missing age.
The ICD-10-CA code for poisoning by fentanyl and derivatives was introduced April 2018. Fentanyl-specific data were not available prior to this date.

Acknowledgments

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.

Suggested Citation

Federal, provincial, and territorial Special Advisory Committee on the Epidemic of Opioid Overdoses. Opioid- and Stimulant-related Harms in Canada. Ottawa: Public Health Agency of Canada; September 2023. https://health-infobase.canada.ca/substance-related-harms/opioids-stimulants/

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Opioid- and Stimulant-related Harms in Canada Published: (September 2023): Health Infobase

Acknowledgments

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Learn more about opioids and stimulants in Canada