The report states that at least 1,460 Canadians have died from opioid-related overdoses in the first half of 2017, a number that's expected to rise, as not all provinces have reported data for the period. Based on figures reported by the other provinces and territories, the number of overdose deaths are on pace to be over 4,000 by the end of the year. Last year's total was 2,861 opioid-related fatalities. In 2016, illicit fentanyl was implicated in 53% of all opioid overdose deaths. B.C. and Alberta were the hardest hit by fentanyl-related overdose deaths, but Ontario is also seeing the opioid trickle into its street drug supplies, often with fatal outcomes. In New Brunswick, there were 32 apparent opioid-related deaths in 2016 and 17 such deaths reported between January and June of 2017.
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Rapport national: Décès apparemment liés à la consommation d’opioïdes (décembre 2017) - Gouvernement du Canada