Emergency medical services calls
From January 2025 to February 2025:
- Greater Sudbury Paramedic Services responded to 62 calls for suspected opioid-related incidents. During the same period last year, Greater Sudbury Paramedic Services responded to 99 calls for suspected opioid-related incidents.
On average, in the past 3 years (2022–2024):
- Greater Sudbury Paramedic Services responded to 677 calls for suspected opioid-related incidents each year
View more detailed surveillance information about opioid-related emergency medical services calls.
Emergency department visits
From January 2025 to February 2025:
- There were 31 visits to emergency departments in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts for confirmed opioid drug poisonings. During the same period last year, there were 70 visits to emergency departments in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts for confirmed opioid drug poisonings.
- This represents an annualized local rate of 81.2 visits per 100,000 population per year, compared to 79.9 visits per 100,000 population per year in Northern Ontario overall. Rates in both areas are significantly higher than the projected Ontario rate of 28.3 visits per 100,000 population per year
On average, in the past 3 years (2022–2024):
- There were 436 visits to emergency departments in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts for confirmed opioid drug poisonings each year
- This represents a local annual rate of 198.5 visits per 100,000 population per year, compared to 178.1 visits per 100,000 population per year in Northern Ontario overall. Rates in both areas were significantly higher than the Ontario rate of 81.4 visits per 100,000 population per year
Suspected drug toxicity deaths
From January 2025 to February 2025:
- 24 people died from a suspected drug poisoning in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts. During the same period last year, 16 people died from a suspected drug poisoning in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts.
- This represents an annualized local mortality rate of 62.9 deaths per 100,000 population per year, compared to 54.2 deaths per 100,000 population per year in Northern Ontario overall. Rates in both areas are significantly higher than the projected Ontario rate of 15.2 deaths per 100,000 population per year.
On average, in the past 3 years (2022–2024):
- 137 people per year died from a suspected drug poisoning in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts
- This represents a local annual mortality rate of 62.6 deaths per 100,000 population per year, compared to 60.3 deaths per 100,000 population per year in Northern Ontario overall. Rates in both areas were significantly higher than the Ontario rate, 23.8 deaths per 100,000 population per year
View more detailed surveillance information about local counts of suspected drug toxicity deaths.
Naloxone distribution
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
In January 2025:
- 1 410 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, 2 202 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 (2022–2024):
- 27 212 doses of naloxone were distributed in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts by Public Health and its partners, excluding pharmacies.
- An additional 7 782 doses were distributed by local pharmacies.
View more detailed surveillance information about naloxone distribution