On International Overdose Awareness Day, advocates in Ottawa are once again calling for the reopening of safe consumption sites in the city as stark new numbers are released on overdose calls. An event marking the date was held at the Human Rights Monument on Elgin Street and Lisgar Street outside city hall. Christopher Johnson, the StreetSmarts outreach coordinator with Jewish Family Services, said the event – which included speeches and a march through the city – was a joint effort between Ottawa Inner City Health, Jewish Family Services, Sandy Hill Community Health Centre and Road For Mental Health. “Overdose is not simply an individual issue,” said Johnson from the podium. “It is a community issue. It is a health issue. It is a housing issue. It is a poverty issue, and it is a policy issue. “And today, we are here not only to remember but to demand change.” Organizers placed 74 flowers at the base of the monument – one for every life lost last year to overdose. Joining the march was Max St. Jacques, who said every step he took was for those affected by overdose and the drug crisis. “Just because we do drugs just makes us bad people. We’re just a hurting people and then we need help,” he said in an interview with CTV News Ottawa. He said he lost his friend last year in an accidental drug overdose in his own bed. “It shook my world, and it was a shock, like he was there one minute. One day I was hanging out with him, and then he’s gone,” he said. The City of Ottawa declared Monday as International Overdose Awareness Day, which raised a flag at city hall and changed the Ottawa sign in the ByWard Market to purple in honour of the date. The Ontario Ministry of Health has opened two HART Hubs in Ottawa – which they say aims to put a focus on recovery but do not offer safe consumption services. Johnson says supervised consumption sites are critical. “There are more people that are using unsafely,” he says of what team members have seen since the closures. “They are leaving and discarding some of their materials that they use for their substance use on the streets. And this is because we don’t have the supervised consumption sites.” He says all resources are vital in the fight. “Harm reduction is a necessity for people to get clean,” he says of supervised consumption sites. Ottawa release new data on overdoses Ottawa police say there have been 707 calls related to overdoses between January 1 and August 10 of this year. In 2025, there were 812 overdose calls for the entire year. Police figures show officers have administered naloxone 26 times at the scene of an overdose, “resulting in the saving of 25 lives so far this year.” “Overdose awareness is about more than recognizing the signs of an emergency. It’s about fostering understanding, compassion, and connection within our community,” wrote Ottawa police staff Sgt. James McGarry in a statement. “Substance use and addiction can affect anyone, regardless of age, background, or where they live. By having open conversations, reducing stigma, and ensuring people know where to find support, we can help prevent overdoses and save lives.” Ottawa Public Health says there is no confirmed data on opioid toxicity deaths for 2026, but so far there are 105 suspected drug overdoses. In 2025, there were 74 confirmed opioid toxicity deaths, according to figures. The statement goes on to say that opioid related deaths are on the decline from it’s peak in 2023, which saw 214. Rob Boyd with Inner City Health says that can be attributed to the decreased toxicity in the drug supply. “If we get a sudden increase in the toxicity of the drugs, we’re going to see the overdose deaths spike again and so we’re really concerned about that,” he explains. Ottawa public health says it’s important for people who use drugs to know the following: If you have a friend or family member who uses drugs, you are encouraged to:
