The Community Drug Strategy publishes drug toxicity surveillance information to inform members of our community. Individuals can quickly access accurate information to help understand the impact of drug use in our community.
Opioids were involved in 61% of all drug poisoning deaths in 2024 (preliminary data). Many drug-related harms and deaths involve one or more non-opioid substances.
From January 2026 to May 2026:
- Greater Sudbury Paramedic Services responded to 420 calls for suspected opioid-related incidents. During the same period last year, Greater Sudbury Paramedic Services responded to 162 calls for suspected opioid-related incidents.
On average, in the past 3 years (2023–2025):
- Greater Sudbury Paramedic Services have responded to 581 calls for suspected opioid-related incidents each year.
View more detailed surveillance information about opioid-related emergency medical services calls.
From January 2026 to May 2026:
- There were 240 visits to emergency departments in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts for confirmed opioid drug poisonings. During the same period last year, there were 123 visits to emergency departments in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts for confirmed opioid drug poisonings.
- This represents an annualized local rate of 250.1 visits per 100,000 population per year, compared to 191.4 visits per 100,000 population per year in Northern Ontario overall. Rates in both areas are significantly higher than the Ontario rate of 83.5 visits per 100,000 population per year
On average, in the past 3 years (2023–2025):
- There were 381 visits to emergency departments in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts for confirmed opioid drug poisonings each year.
- This represents a local rate of 169.8 visits per 100,000 population per year, compared to 161.6 visits per 100,000 population per year in Northern Ontario overall. Rates in both areas were significantly higher than the Ontario rate of 73.2 visits per 100,000 population per year
From January 2026 to May 2026:
- 60 people died from a suspected drug poisoning in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts. During the same period last year, 53 people died from a suspected drug poisoning in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts.
- This represents an annualized local mortality rate of 62.5 deaths per 100,000 population per year, compared to 50.5 deaths per 100,000 population per year in Northern Ontario overall. Rates in both areas are significantly higher than the Ontario rate of 16.2 deaths per 100,000 population per year.
On average, in the past 3 years (2023–2025):
- 132 people died from a suspected drug poisoning in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts each year.
- This represents a local rate of 58.8 deaths per 100,000 population per year, compared to 58.0 deaths per 100,000 population per year in Northern Ontario overall. Rates in both areas were significantly higher than the Ontario rate of 21.4 deaths per 100,000 population per year.
View more detailed surveillance information about local counts of suspected drug toxicity deaths.
Naloxone (also known as Narcan®) is a medication that can temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid drug poisoning. You do not need a prescription or an Ontario health card to get free naloxone kits.
In the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts, naloxone is distributed by pharmacies, the Réseau ACCESS Network, Public Health Sudbury & Districts along with numerous community partners including:
- community health centres (including Aboriginal health access centres)
- AIDS service organizations
- outreach organizations
- shelters
- withdrawal management programs
- hospitals
- urgent care centres
- St. John’s Ambulance
- emergency medical services
- community paramedicine
From January 2026 to May 2026:
- 8 712 doses of naloxone were distributed in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts by Réseau ACCESS Network, Public Health and its partners, excluding pharmacies.
- During the same period last year, 8 749 doses of naloxone were distributed in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts by Réseau ACCESS Network, Public Health and its partners, excluding pharmacies.
On average, in the past 3 years (2023–2025):
- 27 850 doses of naloxone were distributed in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts by Public Health and its partners, excluding pharmacies.
- An additional 7 650 doses were distributed by local pharmacies.
View more detailed surveillance information about naloxone distribution