Canada reports second consecutive annual decline in opioid overdose deaths

Canada recorded a second straight year-over-year decline in opioid overdose deaths, according to the latest federal report on substance-related harms.

Health Canada reported that 5,630 people died from opioid overdoses in 2025, down from previous years following an earlier decline recorded in 2024. Despite the reduction, officials said the crisis continues to pose a significant public health challenge across the country.

According to the federal report, opioid-related deaths averaged about 15 per day last year. The report also found a 23 per cent decrease in the national death rate linked to opioids and a 12 per cent decline in opioid-related hospitalizations.

Federal officials attributed part of the improvement to the wider distribution of naloxone and changes to safe-supply programs aimed at reducing overdose risks. However, they cautioned that progress remains uneven across Canada and that some regions continue to face elevated rates of opioid-related harms.