Understanding the Divide: How Canadians See the Opioid Crisis
September 20, 2024
From September 5 to 12, 2024, Abacus Data conducted a national survey of 3,000 Canadian adults (18+) to examine their perspectives on the severity of the crisis, its impact on their communities, and potential solutions. The opioid crisis in Canada has emerged as one of the most pressing public health challenges in recent years, affecting communities from coast to coast. This research offers a closer look at how Canadians perceive the current state of the opioid crisis, the effects on their communities, and the potential paths forward.
The survey reveals broad recognition of the opioid crisis in Canada, but opinions on solutions remain divided. Some advocate for stricter law enforcement, while others support harm reduction strategies like safe injection sites. This split reflects differing political, generational, and regional perspectives, highlighting the complexity of addressing the crisis with both enforcement and compassionate care approaches.
The Current State of the Opioid Crisis in Canada
The opioid crisis in Canada continues to weigh heavily on the minds of Canadians, with 79% recognizing the seriousness of the issue. News reports from across the country mirror this sentiment, highlighting the urgency of addressing the growing epidemic. However, there is a generational gap in how Canadians perceive the crisis. While 86% of older Canadians (60+) acknowledge the severity, only 72% of those aged 18-29 feel the same.
Additionally, 59% of Canadians believe the opioid crisis has worsened over the past year, with Conservative voters (66%) being more likely to note this trend compared to their Liberal counterparts (53%). Older Canadians are also more inclined to feel the crisis has deteriorated, with 64% of those aged 45+ echoing this belief, while only 49% of those aged 18-29 share this view.
Community Impact
The ripple effects of the opioid crisis are deeply felt across Canadian communities. Half of Canadians (50%) cite increased homelessness and poverty as a direct result of the crisis, as well as higher rates of addiction and overdose-related deaths (45%). Further, 45% report heightened crime rates and safety concerns, a perception that is more pronounced among Conservative voters (49%) and NDP supporters (48%), compared to Liberals (37%). Only 15% of Canadians note that their community has not been impacted by the opioid crisis, further signaling how many communities have felt the impact.
Communities across British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan/Manitoba are particularly affected, with higher residents noting higher rates of addiction and overdose-related incidents in these provinces. In BC, 54% of residents note an increase in addiction rates, and 56% report an increase in crime and safety issues. Beyond public safety, residents in BC and Alberta also perceive growing financial pressures on local governments and taxpayers, as well as increased strain on emergency services and healthcare systems.
What Should We Do About It?
Opinions on how to address the opioid crisis are divided. A slight majority of Canadians (54%) advocate for an approach focused on enhanced law enforcement efforts, stricter penalties for drug trafficking, and relocating or reassessing safe injection sites. This view is particularly strong among Conservative voters, 66% of whom favour this approach. On the other hand, 46% of Canadians believe in a harm-reduction approach that emphasizes increased funding for addiction treatment, support for public health initiatives, and the expansion of safe injection sites. Liberal (53%) and NDP (58%) supporters are more likely to support this perspective.
Despite differing views on enforcement versus harm reduction, a broader consensus has emerged, with 59% of Canadians favouring a compassionate, public-health-oriented approach to addressing drug addiction and use. This perspective is particularly strong among Liberal (66%) and NDP (68%) supporters. In contrast, 41% of Canadians support a more punitive, enforcement-based response, a stance more commonly held by Conservative voters (55%).
Safe Injection Sites: Support and Opposition
Safe injection sites, a key component of harm-reduction strategies, continue to divide Canadians. While 42% support these facilities, 33% remain opposed. Among supporters, 27% acknowledge concerns but still recognize the benefits of safe injection sites. Opposition is more common among Conservative voters, with 50% against these sites, compared to just 27% who support them. In contrast, 55% of Liberal and 58% of NDP supporters are in support of safe injection sites.
Diverging Views on the Future of Safe Injection Sites
Opinions on how to handle safe injection sites in Canada are divided. While 19% of Canadians support expanding them, particularly in high-need areas, this view is more common among Liberal and NDP supporters (both 28%) compared to Conservatives (10%). Another 15% believe existing sites should continue operating without expansion.
On the other hand, 18% of Canadians favor alternative approaches, such as increasing addiction treatment or public education, with greater support from Conservatives (24%). Additionally, 17% advocate for closing all safe injection sites, a stance most strongly supported by Conservatives (27%), highlighting a significant ideological divide on the issue.
1 in 3 Canadians (35%) agree that safe injection sites should be relocated away from schools, a view shared across political lines. Additionally, 17% support evaluating new sites to avoid school proximity. Meanwhile, 16% advocate for closing all safe injection sites, a belief held more strongly by Conservative voters (27%) compared to Liberals (9%) and NDP supporters (10%), reflecting a deeper ideological divide.
Outcomes of Safe Injection Sites: A Divided Picture
The perceived outcomes of safe injection sites paint a divided picture. Many believe they reduce opioid overdoses (33%) and decrease public drug use and discarded needles (31%), while also improving access to addiction treatment (27%). However, concerns persist about increased drug use (31%) and crime rates (29%) in the areas surrounding these sites. Political alignment heavily influences these perceptions. Conservative supporters are more likely to highlight negative outcomes such as increased drug dependency (43%) and higher crime rates (42%), while NDP and Liberal supporters focus more on the positive outcomes, including reduced overdoses and improved access to treatment and harm reduction programs.
Despite mixed views on safe injection sites, most Canadians believe their closure would have negative effects. Many anticipate increases in overdoses (31%), public drug use (28%), strain on emergency services (25%), and crime (23%). In contrast, only a small percentage believe closure would bring positive changes like improved community aesthetics (18%), safety (17%), or business revitalization (14%). These findings suggest that Canadians recognize the vital role safe injection sites play in mitigating the opioid crisis.
The Upshot
The survey reveals a nation deeply divided on how to address the opioid crisis. Some Canadians advocate for stricter law enforcement and punitive measures, while others prioritize harm-reduction strategies like safe injection sites. Conservative supporters are more likely to back enforcement-based approaches, whereas Liberal and NDP voters lean towards compassionate, public-health-oriented responses. These differences highlight the complexity of tackling a crisis that affects communities across the country and requires a balance between security and care.
Despite these divisions, the opioid crisis is an undeniable national emergency that cannot be ignored. It is a public health challenge that has already strained healthcare systems, increased crime rates, and caused immeasurable harm to individuals and families. The urgency of the situation is clear: without decisive action, the crisis will continue to escalate. While opinions differ, there is a shared understanding that the consequences of inaction—rising overdose deaths, greater public safety concerns, and more discarded needles in public spaces—are too severe to overlook.
As Canadians continue to grapple with the opioid crisis, one thing is clear: effective, evidence-based solutions are needed to address this growing public health emergency. This is not just a political debate, but a human crisis, and the future of countless lives depends on swift and meaningful action. The opioid crisis requires attention, and Canada must come together to find solutions that save lives and strengthen communities.
Methodology
The survey was conducted with 2,964 Canadian adults from September 5 to 12, 2024. A random sample of panelists were invited to complete the survey from a set of partner panels based on the Lucid exchange platform. These partners are typically double opt-in survey panels, blended to manage out potential skews in the data from a single source.
The margin of error for a comparable probability-based random sample of the same size is +/- 1.8%, 19 times out of 20.
The data were weighted according to census data to ensure that the sample matched Canada’s population according to age, gender, educational attainment, and region. Totals may not add up to 100 due to rounding.
This survey was paid for by Abacus Data Inc.
Abacus Data follows the CRIC Public Opinion Research Standards and Disclosure Requirements that can be found here: https://canadianresearchinsightscouncil.ca/standards/
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