Accidental falls and drug overdoses are the main drivers of accidental death statistics that have been rising steadily since 2017.
Injuries from transport accidents, falls, poisonings (which include drug overdoses), drownings and fires together – unintentional injuries – were the third leading cause of death in 2023, after cancer and heart disease. Statistics Canada also says deaths from these unintentional injuries have more than doubled since 2000. “Deaths attributed to accidental drug poisonings and accidental falls were the driving forces behind this increase.”
The new data from the Canadian Vital Statistics Death database, maintained by Statistics Canada, also now includes previously unavailable data for the Yukon.
Drug poisoning
“There has been a steady rise in the number of accidental drug poisoning deaths since 2000, with some exceptions (2003 and 2019). A notable 59 per cent increase in these deaths was seen in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic,” they write. “Accidental drug poisoning deaths peaked in 2021 (7,405 deaths) before falling slightly in 2022 (7,179 deaths) and 2023 (7,162 deaths).
These estimates are preliminary and may change with future revisions as coroner or medical examiner investigations are completed and final causes of death are confirmed.” Overall, they say men between 30 and 44 years of age are the subgroup experiencing the highest death rate from accidental drug poisoning.
Fall-related deaths
As for accidental falls, these have grown from 1,570 deaths in 2000 to 7,997 deaths in 2023, an average increase of 280 deaths each year. “This may be related to the aging population and the increasing prevalence of chronic conditions,” they write. “While counts and rates vary by country, similar upward trends in fall-related deaths have been seen in many other countries including Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.”
