Fentanyl is increasingly linked to opioid overdose fatalities in Canada, according to new data released by the government. As of Monday, the national health agency reported that nearly 50,000 people have died from opioid overdoses between January 2016 and June 2024. Out of these, fentanyl—a highly addictive synthetic opioid often prescribed for pain relief—was involved in 49,105 deaths.
The data shows a concerning increase in the proportion of fentanyl-related deaths, which now account for 79 percent of all opioid fatalities reported this year. This marks a 39 percent rise since 2016.
The release of this data comes just weeks before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is set to take office. Trump’s impending presidency has heightened focus on the opioid crisis across North America, with threats to impose 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico if they fail to address the flow of drugs and undocumented migrants into the U.S. In response, the Canadian government announced new border measures to address these concerns, despite discrepancies between Trump’s assertions and the available data.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported seizing less than 20 kg of fentanyl at the U.S.-Canada border in 2023. Nonetheless, Canadian authorities have raised alarms over a rise in domestic fentanyl production, with law enforcement concentrating more on the chemical precursors used to manufacture the substance.
Canada’s foreign ministry has indicated that the seizure of Canadian-made fentanyl in the U.S., Australia, and other nations suggests that domestic production currently exceeds local demand, effectively making Canada a net exporter of fentanyl.
Despite an overall decline in opioid overdose rates compared to last year, Health Canada noted an average of 21 daily deaths attributed to apparent opioid overdoses this year—a reduction of 11 percent from 2023. However, the agency cautioned that these statistics are preliminary and subject to change, emphasizing the ongoing severity of opioid and stimulant-related harms.
“We must remain cautious in drawing conclusions on the trends for 2024,” Health Canada stated. “The extent of opioid and stimulant-related harms remains very high.”
Credit: Aljazeera
