2026-07-05 from cbc.ca

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The number of opioid overdose calls to paramedics has risen sharply in four Ontario cities compared with a year ago, a new CBC data analysis has found.

In the first five months of 2026, calls for suspected opioid poisonings increased by 20 per cent in Thunder Bay and 199 per cent in Hamilton from January to May compared to the same period last year. Non-fatal opioid overdose calls rose by almost 115 per cent in Toronto; Ottawa Paramedic Services recorded a 52 per cent increase in overdose calls, including incidents not related to opioids.

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