'The drugs are getting worse': 22 suspected overdose deaths in Ottawa in first 4 weeks of 2024

Twenty-two deaths in Ottawa in the first four weeks of the year were because of suspected drug overdoses, data from Ottawa Public Health suggest.

The public health unit's weekly overview of suspected drug overdose-related emergency department visits and deaths shows that there was an average of between five and six deaths each week that were believed to be overdose-related between Jan. 1 and Jan. 28. Ottawa saw 258 emergency department visits due to suspected drug overdoses during that same time, the data show.

This is roughly on par with same time in 2023, when data show there were 263 emergency department visits because of suspected drug overdoses and 26 deaths between Jan. 2 and Jan. 29 of that year. In 2022, there were 225 emergency department visits and 23 deaths related to suspected overdoses in the first four weeks of the year.

These data are based on the chief complaint at triage for emergency department visits and, in the case of reported deaths, evidence from the scene or investigation or the preliminary autopsy findings, OPH says. The type of drug involved is not specified in these data.

There was a significant increase in emergency department visits specifically related to confirmed opioid overdoses in 2023.

Data show there were 1,290 visits to the emergency department that were confirmed to be related to an opioid overdose in 2023, up from 866 in 2022 and 929 in 2021. Data for confirmed opioid overdose-related deaths in 2023 show 93 deaths in the first half of the year. Data for the second half is not yet available. There were 163 confirmed opioid-related deaths in Ottawa in all of 2022, according to OPH data.

July 2023 saw the highest number of confirmed opioid overdose-related emergency department visits in three years.

Since July, the number of emergency department visits because of suspected drug overdoses has been on the decline, with a notable spike in the first week of December.

'The drugs are getting worse'

Derrick St. John, with the Sandy Hill Community Health Centre, said there has been a noticeable increase in overdoses in the area.

"In November, we dealt with 85 overdoses on site. A lot of those being outside as well. Compared to the year before, we only had 14 overdoses in the month of November," he said.

St. John said drugs are becoming more toxic.

"The drugs are getting worse," he said. "Right now, we are seeing tranquilizers that are used for elephants, called Xylazine, in the drugs and that is making the overdoses more dangerous. It's making people be in a state of overdose for longer and it's making them very vulnerable because they are sedated and tranquilized."

The other danger, he says, is that Naloxone won't work on a Xylazine overdose, like it does for fentanyl. 

According to Health Canada, there has been an increase in the amount of Xylazine found in street drug samples submitted by law enforcement to the Drug Analysis Service since 2019. Seventy-nine per cent of samples contained two to four other substances, with fentanyl being the most common.

St. John said it was only noticed in Ottawa recently.

"We have only had drug testing since November. We have only identified it in the samples since January," he said. "When people are bringing their samples of fentanyl in to be tested, it's almost found in one of every second sample, as of the last ten days or so."

Paramedics, firefighters seeing increased calls

A report prepared for the city's Emergency Preparedness and Protective Services Committee says that Ottawa paramedics and Ottawa firefighters are seeing an increased number of responses for overdose-related calls.

The report was a response to an inquiry by Rideau-Vanier Coun. Stéphanie Plante about the cost to Ottawa Fire Services for responding to overdose calls.

"The opioid crisis continues to cause significant harm at a population level and has been further impacted by the increasingly toxic illicit drug supply. The COVID-19 pandemic has also exacerbated many of the issues faced by members of our community who use drugs," the response says.

"Paramedics and firefighters have been reporting an increase in overdose responses and naloxone administration or other lifesaving measures for several years, with almost 1,200 overdose responses in the first half of the year."

Paramedics in Ontario are equipped with and trained to administer Naloxone, as are police and firefighters. Ottawa paramedics are the primary responders for medical emergencies in the city, but in certain cases, firefighters or police might arrive on the scene first.

"For certain life-threatening medical calls Police or Fire resources will be dispatched, or 'tiered', providing the quickest response and aid to the patient and improving patient outcomes," staff say.

"In the case of overdoses, tiered medical response means that life-saving naloxone administration can be provided by police officers, firefighters, and paramedics. Paramedics, however, are solely responsible for the medical triage, assessment, treatment, and transport of the patient."

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According to the response to Plante's inquiry, Ottawa paramedics respond to around 9,000 calls per year through 9-1-1 that are related to mental health or substance use disorders, while Ottawa firefighters respond to around 1,600 calls related to drug or alcohol use. Every paramedic response costs approximately $1,250, while it costs $1,021 to send firefighters. All ambulances in the city are equipped with Naloxone kits and the fire department receives Naloxone at no cost through Ottawa Public Health as part of the Ontario Naloxone Program.

"I think it’s absolutely frightening and we are not the only city being affected by it," Plante told CTV News Ottawa. "Obviously, my ward is primarily affected by it. We have all of the social services in one area. We don’t want to be having that many overdose deaths, but that is consistent with what we have been seeing throughout the year."

The Emergency Preparedness and Protective Services Committee meets on Feb. 15.

-With files from CTV News Ottawa's Natalie van Rooy.