The Office of the Chief Coroner (OCC) for Ontario provides death investigations and inquests to ensure that no death will be overlooked, concealed or ignored. This includes updated summaries of suspect-drug related deaths by public health unit (PHU) region and provincially to provide an early signal of potential trends in suspect drug-related deaths and preliminary data on opioid-related deaths at provincial and public health unit levels.
There were 296 suspect drug-related deaths reported in March 2024 in Ontario. Over the past three months (January 2024 – March 2024), there were 851 suspect-drug related deaths. This represents:
- A 6% decrease from the three months prior (October 2023 – December 2023)
- A 12% decrease from the same time period two years ago (January 2022 – March 2022)
- A 16% decrease from the same time period three years ago (January 2021 – March 2021)
- A 22% increase from the same time period four years ago (January 2020 – March 2020)
This information can be used to generate recommendations to help improve public safety and prevent deaths in similar circumstances, and can be shared as needed to support coordination and response activities.
Monthly Data
The purpose of this report is to provide an early signal of trends in suspect drug-related deaths and preliminary data on opioid, stimulant, and other drug toxicity deaths in Ontario. This report includes rapid access to information on drug toxicity deaths.
Quarterly Update
This document outlines more detailed analyses on confirmed and probable opioid-related deaths in Ontario, including trends over time, and stratified analyses across age, sex, and substances involved in death.
Census Subdivision Data (CSD)
This file includes numbers of opioid-related deaths (confirmed and probable) by Public Health Unit and Census Subdivision annually. This file is updated quarterly.
Suggested Citation
Office of the Chief Coroner, Ontario. (2024). OCC Monthly Update: Suspect drug opioid related deaths March 2024. [XLSX]. https://odprn.ca/occ-opioid-and-suspect-drug-related-death-data/
Suggested Citation
Office of the Chief Coroner, Ontario. (2023). OCC Opioid Mortality Summary Q3 2023. [PDF]. https://odprn.ca/occ-opioid-and-suspect-drug-related-death-data/
Suggested Citation
Office of the Chief Coroner, Ontario. (2023). OCC Opioid related deaths by CSD 2018-2023Q3. [XLSX]. https://odprn.ca/occ-opioid-and-suspect-drug-related-death-data/
Archived Data
Monthly Data
Previous monthly data includes suspect drug-related and opioid toxicity deaths only (stimulants and other drug toxicity deaths not included).
Quarterly Data
CSD Data
Opioid-related deaths are also available on the Public Health Ontario Interactive Tool (updated quarterly). Opioid use, opioid-related harms, and access to treatment and harm reduction in the province are available on the ODPRN Ontario Opioid Indicator Tool (updated quarterly).
Ontario’s Public Health Units (PHUs) are all engaged in efforts to reduce drug toxicity harms and deaths. If you have questions about what is happening in your community, please contact your PHU. Find your PHU here.
For any other questions about how Ontario’s Coroners’ System gathers these data, please contact: OCC.DASH@ontario.ca