Opioid-related deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic across nine Canadian provinces and territories

Background
The drug toxicity crisis continues to accelerate across Canada, with rapid increases in opioid-related harms following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, there are currently no national estimates or comparisons across Canadian provinces and territories of the public health burden of opioid-related death throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective
This study describes trends in premature opioid-related mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic across nine Canadian provinces and territories.

Results
Between 2019 and 2021, the annual number of opioid-related deaths increased from 3007 to 6222 and years of life lost increased from 126 115 to 256 336 (from 3.5 to 7.0 yr of life lost per 1000 population). In 2021, the highest number of years of life lost was among males and people aged 30–39 years. In 2019, we found that 1.7% of all deaths among those younger than 85 years were related to opioids, rising to 3.2% in 2021. Significant increases in the proportion of deaths related to opioids were observed across all age groups, representing 29.3% and 29.0% of deaths among people aged 20–29 and 30–39 years in 2021, respectively.

Conclusion
Between 2019 and 2021, the burden of premature death from accidental opioid toxicities in Canada dramatically increased, especially in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. In 2021, more than 70% of opioid-related deaths occurred among males and about 30% occurred among people aged 30–39 years, representing 1 in every 4 deaths in this age group. The disproportionate rates of opioid-related deaths observed in these demographic groups highlight the critical need for the expansion of targeted harm reduction–based policies and programs across Canada.

Date Released: April 15, 2024