ManitobaThe number of people suspected of dying from substance use in Manitoba is dropping for the first time in recent years, but the government body tracking the data says optimism around the decline remains cautious. Numbers encouraging, but optimism around decline remains cautious: Chief Medical ExaminerCBC News · Posted: Nov 03, 2025 7:26 PM EST | Last Updated: November 4Listen to this articleEstimated 5 minutesFrom January to June of 2025 there were 203 suspected substance-related deaths in Manitoba, the lowest number the province has seen for the first six months of a year since at least 2022. (Rafferty Baker/CBC)The number of people suspected of dying from substance use in Manitoba is dropping for the first time in recent years, but the government body tracking the data says optimism around the decline remains cautious. Preliminary data from the Office of Manitoba’s Chief Medical Officer shows that from January to June of 2025, there were 203 suspected substance-related deaths in the province. The number of cases is based on toxicology reports, review of circumstances of death and autopsy findings. The data can change as more information becomes available and examinations are completed, but the number of suspected cases is so far the lowest Manitoba has seen for the first six months of a year since at least 2022.The year-end preliminary data for 2022 indicates that 229 people were suspected of dying from substance consumption between January 1 and June 30. Over the same months, the number of suspected deaths jumped to 259 in 2023 and peaked at 307 last year. “The short-term decline is encouraging,” Stephanie Holfeld, executive director of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, told CBC News in a statement. “It is consistent with what is being seen in Canada and most of the United States.”While more deaths from January to June might later be attributed to substance use, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner doesn’t believe a backlog in toxicology reports or lack of updates on the numbers are enough to account for the decline.� “This appears to be a true shift in the number of substance-related deaths,” Holfeld said. Better access to treatment for substance disorder, shifts in the toxicity of illegal drugs and public health interventions like easy access to naloxone kits or drug-checking services might be behind the decline, Holfeld said. There’s also the possibility that there just aren’t as many people using drugs anymore — bringing the number of deaths from substance consumption down. But given the evolving nature of the illegal drug supply, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said the optimism around the decline remains cautious.Opioids including fentanyl and fentanyl analogues as well as stimulants like methamphetamine and cocaine were the most common drugs linked to overdose deaths in Manitoba this year, similar to recent ones, Holfeld said. Addictions Manitoba Bernadette Smith says the province needs to continue working on to reduce substance-related deaths by opening its first supervised consumption site. (Prabhjot Singh Lotey/CBC)Addictions Minister Bernadette Smith said the work of Manitoba’s government on substance consumption including investing in RAAM clinics, a mobile overdose prevention site and around 800 treatment spots is showing results. But Smith said the province needs to continue working on to reduce substance-related deaths by opening its first supervised consumption site in Winnipeg and getting Bill 48 passed to extend the length of time a detox centre could hold someone found intoxicated on drugs to up to 72 hours.”This is about getting people the support they need, meeting them where they’re at,” Smith said. More harm reduction services neededLevi Foy, the executive director of Sunshine House, said the community resource centre in Winnipeg isn’t necessarily seeing the decline, but the preliminary numbers signals to him people are more prepared to deal with the risks of substance consumption — critical for harm reduction.”People are carrying Narcan … there’s a lot more conversations about what safety looks like for folks who are using drugs and what kind of community safety looks like for everybody,” he said. Crews at Sunshine House are seeing a similar number of drug overdoses that fluctuates throughout the months and can go as high as six cases on a busy day during this time of the year. Sunshine House executive director Levi Foy says the preliminary numbers signals to him people are more prepared to deal with the risks of substance consumption but more supports are needed. (Prabhjot Singh Lotey/CBC)There also continues to be an increase in the number of people requesting drug-testing strips and harm reduction supplies, Foy said.He would like to see more services available, including a supervised consumption site.”People are overworked and they’re stressed and, and they’re tired knowing that … we don’t have to be the only kind of crew out there doing this type of work would be really, really nice,” he said. Services in other communities that can expand access to addictions and detox treatment are also needed, he said. “There’s a little bit more forwardness about people wanting to talk about how this is impacting individuals … I think within that dialogue, we have a lot of opportunities to be productive and find more solutions to very, very complex problems that we’re faced with.” WATCH | Manitoba sees decrease in suspected substance-related deaths in first half of 2025:Manitoba sees decrease in suspected substance-related deaths in first half of 2025Preliminary numbers from Manitoba’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner shows there were fewer substance-related deaths in the first six months of this year, compared to the same time period in recent years. Still, one leader in Manitoba’s harm reduction community tells CBC more services are needed.With files from Alana Cole and Santiago Arias Orozco
Suspected substance-related deaths in Manitoba drop during 1st half of 2025
