Northern Ontario’s 5 largest cities continue to have highest opioid death rates in province – CBC

In 2022, northern cities had 3 times the overdose mortality rates as provincial average

May 10, 2023

Dallas Kosy says he isn’t surprised to hear that northern Ontario continues to have the highest rate of opioid overdose deaths in the province.

Last week, the Office of the Chief Coroner released preliminary figures showing five cities in the region —Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Greater Sudbury, Timmins and North Bay — had the highest opioid mortality rates per 100,000 population last year.

Kosy recently lost his brother-in-law to an overdose and has seen first hand the toll the opioid crisis has had in Sudbury.

“All those crosses that signify how large the issue is, I’m sure that’s not even half of the crosses that could be put up,” he said.

“There’s definitely more than what’s shown. I’m sure of it.”

Kosy is referring to the Crosses for Change site that Denise Sandul started in 2020 in Sudbury’s downtown. A white cross was planted at the corner of Paris and Brady streets for every opioid-related death that year.

Northern Ontario’s 5 largest cities continue to have highest opioid death rates in province – CBC

NationTalk Partners & Sponsors Learn More