Study Reveals Opioid Deaths in Ontario Shelters More Than Tripled During Pandemic
A recent study analyzing data from the Ontario coroner’s office and other sources reveals a stark increase in opioid-related deaths within the province’s shelters during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to previous years.
Conducted by researchers from the Ontario Drug Policy Research Network at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto and Public Health Ontario, the study identified 210 accidental opioid deaths in shelters from January 2018 to May 2022. Prior to the onset of the pandemic in mid-March 2020, 48 of these deaths occurred, while 162 were recorded thereafter.
Dr. Tara Gomes, lead author of the study and principal investigator at the Ontario Drug Policy Research Network, noted that while Ontario experienced a general rise in opioid-related fatalities during the pandemic, the increase was particularly pronounced within shelter settings.
The majority of these deaths were linked to the illicit drug supply, notably fentanyl and benzodiazepines, sedatives commonly mixed with opioids. The study also highlighted the use of methamphetamine, a stimulant sometimes used to counteract sedation from illicit opioids, as contributing to overdose deaths in shelters.
According to Gomes, the majority of opioid-related deaths in shelters occur without anyone present to intervene, either through naloxone administration or calling for emergency responders.
The study revealed that someone was present and capable of intervening in only one out of every seven opioid-related deaths in Ontario shelters.
Gomes highlighted ongoing shelter policies that penalize individuals caught using illicit substances. She pointed out that these policies often drive people to conceal their drug use and resort to using drugs in secluded areas like stairwells or bathrooms.
“If they’re using in those spaces, there often isn’t somebody there to recognize if they’re in need of help and in need of resuscitation or naloxone,” Gomes said.
“There’s a real concern that some of the policies that have existed within shelters, and the fear that people have of being kicked out of a shelter if their substance use is noted, is leading to people using drugs alone. And that’s increasing the risk of death.”
According to Gomes, individuals who use drugs typically rely on friends or support networks to check on them. However, these support systems eroded during the pandemic, leaving individuals unable to access the same services they had previously relied upon.
Among the health units studied, Toronto Public Health recorded the highest number of opioid-related deaths in shelters with 65 fatalities, followed by Ottawa Public Health with 20 deaths and Hamilton Public Health with 10 deaths.
Gomes emphasized the importance of training shelter staff and equipping them with resources to effectively identify and support people who use drugs.
“It can’t solely rely on shelter staff to recognize and respond,” she said. “We need to integrate harm reduction and treatment services into these environments, where we know many individuals are vulnerable, to enhance safety measures.”
