Declare overdose public-health emergency
Petitioners ask the House of Commons to declare a public-health emergency for overdoses, treat them as health not crime, and decriminalize drugs. The government responds it funds treatment, border measures and says Emergencies Act inappropriate.
Why we would sign this petition
- Makes overdoses a priority: a federal public‑health emergency would focus resources and coordination on prevention, treatment and harm reduction across jurisdictions.
- Decriminalization reduces stigma and legal barriers, encouraging people to seek health services and aligning with WHO and other public‑health recommendations cited by petitioners.
- Addressing housing, poverty and racial discrimination targets root causes that increase overdose risk and supports longer‑term prevention and recovery.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Decriminalization raises public‑safety and enforcement concerns; some may worry it could complicate efforts to control supply and protect communities.
- A federal emergency declaration may duplicate provincial powers; governments note provinces can already declare public‑health emergencies and may resist federal intervention.
- Comprehensive social measures require sustained funding and coordination; opponents may prefer targeted treatments, border enforcement, or other interventions judged more practical.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED Whereas: The overdose crisis in Canada is a public health emergency, as has already been declared by British Columbia's Provincial Health Officer and several municipalities across Canada; More than 13,900 individuals have died of opioid-related deaths and there have been 17,050 opioid-related poisoning hospitalizations in Canada since 2016; There is disproportionate representation of Indigenous people affected by the overdose crisis; and The Canadian Public Health Association, the Global Commission on Drug Policy, the World Health Organization, and the United Nations, have recommended drug decriminalization. We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to: Declare a public health emergency due to overdose deaths in Canada; Reframe the overdose crisis in Canada as a health issue rather than a criminal issue; Take a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach to the overdose crisis, by addressing issues of addiction, poverty, housing, health care, racial discrimination, and economic inequality and instability; Listen to and act on recommendations made by social workers, front-line workers, nurses, doctors, drug users, and individuals directly involved in the drug-using community; and Decriminalize drugs in Canada.
Government response
Response by the Minister of Health Signed by Maggie Chi The toxic drug and overdose crisis is one of the most serious public health threats in Canada’s recent history, which is having devastating impacts on individuals, friends and families, and communities across the country. While there are a number of complex factors that contribute to the high rates of overdose, a major driver is the increasingly toxic and unpredictable illegal drug supply, where fentanyl remains widespread and we have observed the rise or emergence of other substances, including stronger opioids, stimulants, and sedatives, as well as combinations of substances. Of all apparent opioid toxicity deaths in 2024, 84% involved non-pharmaceutical opioids and approximately three out of every four (74%) involved fentanyl. The cost of substance use-related harms extends beyond the loss of lives, affecting health, social well-being, public safety and Canada’s prosperity. Our government takes this crisis very seriously and is committed to working with all orders of government, Indigenous Peoples and communities, law enforcement, criminal justice, health and social systems, people with lived and living experience and other key stakeholders, to take urgent action and leverage every available tool to save lives and work towards ending this national public health crisis. Our government has taken a number of actions, including: Introducing Bill C-2, the Strong Borders Act, and C-12, the Strengthening Canada's Immigration System and Borders Act, whichensure law enforcement has the right tools to: Keep the borders secure; Stop the flow of illegal fetynal; Combat transnational organized crime; and Crack down on money laundering. Keep the borders secure; Stop the flow of illegal fetynal; Combat transnational organized crime; and Crack down on money laundering. Appointing a Fentanyl Czar to work with all levels of the Canadian government and with U.S. counterparts to help stop the production and trafficking of illegal fentanyl. Releasing Canada’s Border Plan with a $1.3 billion investment to stop illegal fentanyl at the border including: $30.7 million to set up the Precursor Chemical Risk Management Unit to increase oversight of precursor chemicals and distribution channels, and to enhance monitoring and surveillance to support timely law enforcement action against illegal synthetic drug trade; and $48 million to establish the Canadian Drug Analysis Centre, expanding our drug testing lab capacity and analysis capabilities with new lab spaces in Toronto and Vancouver. $30.7 million to set up the Precursor Chemical Risk Management Unit to increase oversight of precursor chemicals and distribution channels, and to enhance monitoring and surveillance to support timely law enforcement action against illegal synthetic drug trade; and $48 million to establish the Canadian Drug Analysis Centre, expanding our drug testing lab capacity and analysis capabilities with new lab spaces in Toronto and Vancouver. Providing $150 million for the Emergency Treatment Fund (ETF) for municipalities and Indigenous communities. The fund aims to provide a rapid response to emergent, critical needs related to the illegal toxic drug and overdose crisis. Providing an additional $1 billion for Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy to stabilize funding under the program, bringing the total investment to $5 billion. Of this, $50 million will focus on accelerating community-level reductions in homelessness. Providing $250 million to address the urgent issue of encampments and unsheltered homelessness. We’re committed to a public health and safety approach that: Connects people to vital services; Reduces stigma around substance use; Builds evidence to support decision making; Supports prevention, treatment and recovery efforts; and Protects the safety of individuals and communities from illegal drugs and drug-related crimes Additionally, provinces and territories have a range of tools and authorities to address the ongoing overdose crisis in their jurisdictions, including the power to declare a public health emergency, which enables them to access and exercise extraordinary measures in response to a significant increase in opioid-related deaths. For example, British Columbia declared a public health emergency in April 2016, Alberta in May 2017 and Yukon in January 2022. In addition to provincial and territorial declarations, some municipalities and Indigenous communities have declared emergencies in response to rising substance use-related harms and deaths and public safety concerns. Invoking the federal Emergencies Act is intended to serve as a tool of last resort to ensure the safety and security of Canadians in cases of temporary, critical national emergencies that cannot be addressed with existing federal, provincial or territorial laws. As such, the Emergencies Act is not an appropriate mechanism to address the ongoing overdose crisis, which requires a longer-term, sustained, and multi-jurisdictional effort to address the complex, interrelated health, social and economic factors driving substance use-related deaths and harms.