Deaths Nine Times Higher; Calls for Urgent, Culturally Grounded Support
Toronto, Ont. — Oct. 7, 2025 — A new report co-authored by the Chiefs of Ontario and the Ontario Drug Policy Research Network finds opioids are killing and harming First Nations people in Ontario at rates far above non-First Nations. The study shows the opioid-related death rate for First Nations tripled from 2019 to 2022, reaching 12.8 deaths per 10,000 in 2022—nine times higher than the 1.4 per 10,000 recorded among non-First Nations.
In total, 389 First Nations people died from overdose in 2021–2022. From 2013–2023, opioid use remained higher among First Nations, particularly among those living outside their home communities.
Hospital pressures mirror this disparity. In 2023, First Nations people were 10 times more likely to visit hospital for opioid toxicity, with those living off-community twice as likely as those living on-community to require hospital care.
While opioid prescriptions for pain management are declining, the report notes a modest bright spot: since a 2023 baseline, hospitalization rates have decreased and death rates have stabilized—though harms remain severe and disproportionate.
Chiefs of Ontario: “We Can and Must Do Better”
Ontario Regional Chief Benedict calls the findings a stark reminder of a crisis touching nearly every family: “Far too many people—both First Nations and non-First Nations—are tragically losing their lives to opioids.” The Chief warns that closures of harm-reduction sites are eroding crucial lifelines, and urges more resources, not fewer, to protect people, safeguard the future, and support healing.
Guided by a First Nations steering committee and using ICES data, the report urges swift action to expand treatment access and harm-reduction services, emphasizing that many First Nations people face layered harms from systemic racism and intergenerational trauma. The Chief underscores that punitive approaches have failed, calling instead for culturally and spiritually grounded supports for mental health and substance use. Evidence-based, culturally based healing programs are identified as essential components of recovery.
What’s Next — and Why It Matters for Northwestern Ontario
The report calls on provincial and federal governments to partner with First Nations on a comprehensive strategy that shifts from punishment to care, culture, and community safety. With nearly 51,000 opioid deaths nationally since 2016, the stakes are high.
The Chiefs of Ontario will compile data on publicly funded treatment programs to assess whether they adequately serve First Nations, and to track the number of states of emergency declared due to the opioid crisis.
