THUNDER BAY — New data recently released by Ontario Provincial Police shows fatal overdoses have continued to increase from 2018 to 2019.
OPP have released updated numbers in a report titled Opioids and Overdoses: Impacts and Strategies to highlight the increase of overdose-related deaths throughout communities across the province including in the northwest region.
The report indicates that overall there was a 34 per cent increase in overdose-related deaths in 2019 compared to 2018. Police say the region impacted the most by fatal overdoses continues to be the central region followed by the west region.
“There are no excuses in today’s environment for these harmful drugs to be distributed through our communities,” OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique said in a news release.
In the northwest region alone there were 15 fatal drug overdoses in 2019, nine in 2018 and four in 2017. Police say these overdoses are both opioid and non-opioid related.
Police also note the northeast region saw a 144 per cent increase in overdose fatalities related to opioids only from 2018 to 2019.
The data also shows fentanyl was the most seized opioid in OPP jurisdictions followed by hydromorphone and Oxycodone.
Police have also identified since September 2017, OPP officers have saved 177 lives by administering Naloxone. In addition, police have laid 102 charges in 12 overdose-related death investigations in 2019 which was a 500 per cent increase from 2018, according to the report.
“One person is dying every 4.7 hours in Ontario from opioids. We will continue to pursue those who are knowingly trafficking harmful opioids such as fentanyl and we will hold them responsible for their actions,” Carrique said. “We will do this while supporting our social and health services partners in a collective effort to help those impacted by this crisis.”
