Canada records almost 50,000 deaths from fentanyl since 2016 

Fentanyl is increasingly behind opioid overdose deaths in Canada, according to new government data.

The national health agency on Monday reported that nearly 50,000 people in the North American country died from opioid overdose deaths from January 2016 to June 2024.

During that period, fentanyl, a highly addictive synthetic opioid sometimes prescribed for pain relief, accounted for 49,105 of the deaths.

Meanwhile, the proportion of fentanyl deaths has increased, according to the data, accounting for 79 percent of opioid deaths so far this year. That is a 39 percent increase since 2016.

The data was released just weeks before United States President-elect Donald Trump is set to enter the White House.

Trump’s looming presidency has drawn increased attention to the opioid crisis in North America, with the president-elect threatening to impose 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico if the neighbours did not do more to stem the flow of drugs and undocumented migrants crossing into the US.

Canada’s government last week announced a raft of new border measures aimed at allaying Trump’s concerns, even if the president-elect’s claims do not quite track with the data.

US Customs and Border Protections reported that less than 20kg of fentanyl was seized at the US-Canada border in 2023.

Still, Canadian authorities have warned of an increase in domestic production of fentanyl in the country, with law enforcement focusing more on chemical precursors used to make the substance.

Canada’s foreign ministry has said the seizure of Canadian-made fentanyl in the US, Australia and other countries indicates that domestic production exceeds demand and Canada has become a net fentanyl exporter.

The overall rate of opioid overdoses has declined compared with last year, according to Health Canada.

Health Canada said an average of 21 people had died each day from apparent opioid overdoses so far this year – an 11 percent decline from 2023.

Still, the agency warned that the numbers are preliminary and subject to change.

“We must remain cautious in drawing conclusions on the trends for 2024,” it said in a statement.

“The extent of opioid and stimulant-related harms remains very high.”