Federal officials cite decline in opioid-related deaths but warn progress is fragile

The federal government says the toxic drug crisis continues to have devastating effects despite a drop in opioid-related deaths last year.

Toxicity deaths declined by 23 per cent in 2025 due to several factors, including naloxone distribution and changes to the drug supply, federal health officials said Monday.

Opioid-related hospitalizations also decreased by 12 per cent last year, the government said.

Officials stressed, however, that these changes are uneven and progress remains fragile.

The number of opioid-related deaths in Canada remains higher than it was a decade ago, when the public drug crisis emerged.

The government recorded 5,608 apparent opioid-related deaths last year, an average of 15 lives lost each day.

It reported 4,920 opioid-related poisoning hospitalizations in 2025, an average of 13 a day.

Dr. Joss Reimer, the chief public health officer, said that while the year-over-year figures indicate movement in the right direction, the numbers remain "unacceptably high and well above pre-2020 levels."

"We must not forget that behind every number, every statistic, is a person. Every overdose is a tragedy, causing profound and lasting trauma to families, to friends and entire communities," Reimer told a news conference Monday.

"And this is why we cannot lose momentum. Sustaining this progress and bringing these numbers down even further will require continued co-ordinated action."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 15, 2026.

By Jim Bronskill and Sarah Ritchie | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.