Drug and Alcohol Overdose Deaths Nearly Doubled in Ontario During Pandemic: Study

Evidence bags containing fentanyl are displayed during a news conference at Surrey RCMP Headquarters, in Surrey, B.C., on Sept. 3, 2020. The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck

The number of accidental drug and alcohol deaths nearly doubled in Ontario during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study shows.

The study, released on Sept. 14, found that almost 3,000 people died from drug or alcohol toxicity in 2021, compared to nearly 1,600 people in 2018.