Overdose-related incidents in Ottawa have shown a complex and troubling pattern, with overall declines in 2025 contrasted by dangerous surges and early signs of a reversal in 2026, according to data from Ottawa Public Health and the Ottawa Police Service.
Significant Decrease in Police Response Calls
Police responded to 45 percent fewer overdose calls in 2025 compared to the previous year, with 810 calls recorded versus 1,480 in 2024. This continued a downward year-over-year trend that began in 2023, marking what appeared to be positive progress in addressing the city's drug crisis.
Alarming Reversal in Early 2026
However, this trend has reversed dramatically in the first months of 2026. In February alone, police responded to 51 overdose calls—an 82 percent increase compared to the same month a year earlier. January showed similar year-to-year increases, with Ottawa police responding to 93 overdose-related calls total through the end of February.
Julie Kavanagh, spokesperson for the Ottawa Police Service, cautioned that police call volumes don't represent the complete picture of overdoses in the city. "Ottawa Fire Services and the Ottawa Paramedic Service are also dispatched to medical calls and often take the lead in medical care," Kavanagh explained.
Emergency Department Visits Tell Different Story
Overdose-related emergency department visits in Ottawa also decreased in 2025, but with significant fluctuations that reveal a more nuanced reality. According to Ottawa Public Health data, 607 people visited Ottawa emergency departments for overdose-related care in 2025 compared to 941 people in 2024.
Most concerning was the dramatic increase in emergency room visits between May and September 2025, indicating periods of particularly dangerous drug supply despite the overall annual decrease.
Drug Supply Toxicity Drives Fluctuations
"Both the availability and the toxicity of the illicit drug supply play key roles in overdose trends," Kavanagh noted. "Increased availability or a more toxic supply can usually lead to more emergency calls, while reduced availability or lower toxicity can result in fewer calls. These shifts can happen quickly and may contribute as to why 2025 saw lower call volumes overall while early 2026 appears to show an increase."
Current Concerns and Public Health Response
Data on emergency room visits is not yet available for 2026, but Ottawa Public Health issued a drug alert on February 20 warning about a significant increase in overdoses linked to suspected orange fentanyl. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, rainbow-coloured fentanyl has emerged as a trend where the drug is brightly coloured to resemble candy, potentially targeting children and young people.
Benjamin Leikin, manager of the community health and wellness branch at Ottawa Public Health, reported that the majority of overdoses in the city between February 16 and February 20 required emergency medical services responses as well as "substantial and sustained" resuscitation efforts. Patients became unresponsive, and several doses of naloxone were required to improve their condition.
The situation highlights the ongoing challenges in addressing Ottawa's drug crisis, where overall improvements can mask dangerous fluctuations and sudden reversals in trends that put vulnerable populations at risk.
