Article content
Toronto Public Health and the Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario have released data showing a sharp increase in the number of opioid overdose deaths in Toronto in 2021.
Article content
Last year, there were 511 overdose deaths, which is an increase of 74% from 2019 and a 273% increase from 2015.
In 2021, there were 6,005 non-fatal calls and 357 fatal calls attended by Toronto Paramedics Services for suspected opioid overdoses, which is a 65% increase from 2020.
“The overdose crisis continues to be an urgent public health issue in Toronto. In keeping with our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, addressing the drug poisoning crisis of this size and scale requires resources and action from all levels of government. These are preventable losses and members of our community. I extend my sincere condolences to the families, friends and loved ones of these individuals that we’ve lost,” said Dr. Eileen de Villa, Medical Officer of Health for Toronto.
Article content
There were 3,947 emergency department visits due to opioid poisoning in Toronto, according to the Ontario Ministry of Health.
The Toronto Overdose Action Plan includes harm reduction, education, and treatment services through The Works and critical action in the decriminalization of drugs for personal use.
“Any life lost to a drug overdose is preventable and totally unacceptable. Every death from an overdose is a tragedy that leaves families, loved ones and friends devastated. No one is immune from this crisis. We cannot understate or shy away from the terrible impact of these deaths,” said Mayor John Tory.
“Our city government has taken action with Toronto Public Health to address this as the healthcare matter that it most certainly is. We are doing all we can to implement harm reduction programs to help save lives. Those measures have helped stop overdoses and have saved lives but, as we see from the data we have made public today, far too many people are still dying from overdoses.”
