The Chatham-Kent Public Health Unit is sounding the alarm after a sharp increase in suspected opioid poisonings this month, part of a troubling pattern seen across Ontario amid an increasingly unpredictable drug supply.

According to Jacquie Cartwright, community outreach and public relations officer with CK Public Health, emergency crews responded to more than 20 suspected opioid-related calls in October, nearly half of them in the past week alone. Several suspected drug-related deaths have also been reported over the last two weeks, surpassing the area's usual monthly average of one or two fatalities.

"Strong fentanyl mixed with xylazine (commonly referred to as 'tranq') in the local drug supply is suspected to be contributing to this increased risk," read a media statement from CK Public Health. "Tranq increases the effects of opioids and can cause prolonged sedation as well as wound and skin issues."

Public health officials say the recent spike mirrors another surge in early August that prompted a community alert. They're urging residents who use substances to take extra precautions, including testing their drugs, avoiding using alone and keeping naloxone on hand.

"This serves as an important reminder that the unregulated drug supply is unpredictable and always changing," stated the health unit. "Substances may not be what individuals expect, increasing the risk of harm or death."

Widespread 'crisis' across Ontario

While Chatham-Kent's local data show a recent spike, the region's rates of opioid-related emergencies are comparable to the rest of Ontario. This year so far, the municipality recorded 9.8 suspected drug-related deaths per a rate of 100-thousand people. Provincewide, 1.2 suspected drug-related deaths per 100-thousand people were reported in September alone, according to the Office of the Chief Coroner.

Although the province has seen a decline compared to last year, a 36 per cent drop from the same period in 2024, the overall death toll remains high.

Since 2021, about one in five opioid deaths in Ontario has occurred among people experiencing homelessness. Half of all opioid-toxicity deaths happen in areas with the highest levels of material deprivation.

Federal funding aims to expand treatment

In response to the ongoing crisis, the federal government announced more than $19 million in new funding through Canada's Emergency Treatment Fund (ETF) for 21 projects across Ontario on Friday. The funding is aimed at supporting urgent local interventions and expanding access to harm reduction, treatment and recovery programs.

"The overdose crisis continues to have a devastating impact across our country. No community has been left untouched," said Don Valley North MP Maggie Chi, parliamentary secretary to the federal health minister. "The federal government recognizes it's one of the most serious public health challenges in our country."

Chi said the ETF is part of a broader $150-million national effort to help municipalities, First Nations, and community organizations respond to the toxic drug supply. Another $17 million is being delivered through Health Canada's Substance Use and Addictions Program to support community-based prevention and harm reduction initiatives.

"We are listening, we're supporting, we're really empowering communities to let us know what works best," Chi said. "There is no one-size-fits-all approach to solving the overdose crisis, and no community can solve it alone."

While Chatham-Kent was not part of this latest funding round, it previously received $574,000 in February 2025 for its Community Overdose Response Expansion project. The funding supports peer-led outreach, anti-stigma education and low-barrier community spaces for people who use substances.

CK Public Health says the unregulated drug supply is unpredictable and always changing, urging residents to share the warning to help reduce the risks of overdoses.