Toronto's shelter system recently saw its deadliest month on record
With nineteen deaths recorded, Toronto’s city-run shelter system saw its deadliest month on record this October.
Previously, Aug. 2021 held that record with 17 recorded fatalities. For comparison, three deaths were recorded within the shelter system in Oct. 2020.
With one month left in the year, 2021 is already the deadliest year within the city’s shelter system as well. Seventy-four deaths were recorded in 2020, while 115 individuals have already lost their lives in city shelters this year.
Despite rising COVID-19 cases and the emergence of the new Omicron variant sparking concern amongst experts and officials, the City of Toronto confirmed to CTV News Toronto that, of the nineteen deaths, none were due to the COVID-19 virus.
Instead, the city says the increase of fatalities is “due to the overdose emergency and opioid poisoning crisis that continues to be an urgent public health issue in Toronto and across Ontario.”
On Dec. 3, the city issued a release stating that, in the days prior, Toronto paramedics experienced the highest number of daily calls for overdoses since monitoring of this data began in 2017.
From Nov. 30 to Dec. 1, the city says that paramedics responded to 108 suspected opioid overdose calls. Of the 108 calls, three overdoses turned out to be fatal.
“This is the highest daily number of calls reported by paramedics since monitoring of this data began in 2017,” the release said.
According to data released by the city, there were 531 confirmed drug overdose deaths in Toronto in 2020, marking an 81 per cent increase compared to 2019.
When reached for comment, the City of Toronto said that it’s working in conjunction with Toronto Public Health to address the increase in opioid-related fatalities.
“The city's Shelter, Support and Housing Administration Division (SSHA) continues to work with Toronto Public Health and community agencies to address opioid-related deaths in Toronto's shelter system through the Integrated Prevention and Harm Reduction Initiative (iPHARE),” city spokesperson Erin Whitton said.
“Staff are also working with each shelter to ensure harm reduction services are offered to all clients, in line with the recent directive.”
‘LISTEN TO THOSE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE’
Lorraine Lam has been working as an outreach worker at Sanctuary Toronto for a decade.
She says that, while the opioid crisis has been a long-standing issue in the province and across the country, the COVID-19 pandemic has seen more people using drugs in isolation.
“The number one thing that we tell everybody is [to not] use alone because that's just dangerous,” Lam told CTV News Toronto on Monday.
While Lam did not personally deal with an increase in fatalities at Sanctuary in Oct., she says the organization did observe an increase in overdoses.
“I would say that we're definitely responding to a lot more overdoses and we're aware of more and more bad batches circulating,” she said.
Lam said that it’s important to note that the opioid crisis is one that stretches further than city-run shelters.
“There are lots of people who are drug users who are middle class, who are privileged,” she said. “The overdose crisis does not discriminate.”
When asked what the city can do to tangibly support drug users, Lam’s answer is simple: “Listen to those with lived experience.”
“It's very frustrating that policymakers and people who are instituting rules are not actually listening to the expertise,” she said.
That expertise, Lam says, points to the need for more safe supply sites and overdose prevention sites.
She also highlighted a need to decriminalize drug use in Toronto, as current policy “drives a lot of [drug users] into unsafe spaces.”
Last week, Toronto Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Eileen de Villa, drafted a recommendation that possession of small quantities of illegal drugs should be decriminalized within the city’s geographical boundaries.
On Monday, Toronto's board of health voted unanimously to move forward with the recommendation and subsequent decriminalization of the possession of small amounts of illegal drugs. The potential policy now awaits federal approval.
As far as what the average Torontonian can do, Lam says the crisis is largely past the point of things like donations or fundraisers.
“We're entering a season of provincial and municipal elections,” she said. “I think we need to hold our policymakers accountable for the decisions that they make that actively kill people.”
“In the meantime, I think it's really important that people who live in a [shelter] neighborhood are vocal about their support for these spaces and vocal about the need for these spaces to adhere to the wisdom of people living in them.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW From yearning for a change to cost of living, why some Canadians have left or may leave the country
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
NEW Capital gains tax change 'shortsighted' and 'sows division' business groups tell Freeland
Forging ahead with increasing Canada's capital gains inclusion rate 'sows division,' and is a 'shortsighted' way to improve the deficit, business groups are warning Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
Defence attacks Stormy Daniels' credibility as she returns to the stand in Trump's hush money trial
Stormy Daniels will return to the witness stand Thursday in Donald Trump's hush money trial as the defence tries to undermine the credibility of the porn actor's salacious testimony about their alleged sexual encounter and the money she was paid to keep quiet.
With contactless screening tech, this Toronto startup hopes to catch breast cancer early — and save lives
Amid evidence of rising breast cancer rates among young women in Canada, one Toronto startup is offering a contactless and radiation-free device that can help doctors identify suspicious changes in breast tissue. The company, Linda Lifetech, says this can lead to earlier detection of breast cancer.
Tornadoes tear through southeastern U.S. as storms leave 3 dead
Forecasters warned a wave of dangerous storms in the U.S. could wash over parts of the South early Thursday, a day after severe weather with damaging tornadoes and large hail killed at least three people in the region.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.