By Rosalind Russell – People experiencing homelessness accounted for one in six opioid related deaths in Ontario in 2021. That’s according to new research from ICES – a Canadian research institute.
That means one year into the COVID-19 pandemic, one homeless individual lost their life to an opioid overdose every day.
The report shows while opioid overdose deaths in the province increased two-fold over a four-year timeframe, deaths among the unhoused saw a nearly four-fold increase.
Officials say the report underscores the urgency of the situation and the need for effective policy and intervention to address the opioid epidemic.