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3h ago

Canada’s Opioid Deaths Fell 17% in 2024 as National Toll Reached 7,150

The uneven decline is prompting calls for sustained harm‑reduction funding given a volatile drug supply.

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A naloxone kit, used to temporarily reverse or reduce the effects of an opioid overdose. In 2024, deaths from opioid use were down in Canada, though some provinces and territories still saw an increase.

Overview

  • New federal figures show 7,150 apparent opioid-related deaths in 2024, averaging about 20 per day, down 17% from 2023.
  • Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Northwest Territories recorded increases year over year, even as the national total declined.
  • British Columbia (2,299 deaths), Ontario (2,231) and Alberta (1,181) had the highest counts, with all three reporting declines from 2023.
  • The CCSA reports fewer detections of potent carfentanil in tested samples and a shift in consumption from injection to inhalation.
  • Front-line providers describe more xylazine in the supply, and experts urge continued investment in harm reduction and treatment as some analysts credit illicit market changes for the drop.