What Canada’s wastewater reveals about drug use in 8 cities
Canada wastewater drug data shows regional spikes in methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl See how eight cities differ and what the findings reveal about local drug trends
New Statistics Canada data shows clear regional differences in drug traces found in wastewater across eight Canadian cities. The results, covering samples collected from January 2024 to March 2026, indicate higher methamphetamine levels in parts of the Prairies and Moncton, higher cocaine levels in Halifax, and the highest fentanyl levels in Metro Vancouver.
The analysis is based on drug metabolites measured in wastewater from treatment plant catchments serving about 9.2 million people. Officials caution that the data cannot show exactly how many people used a drug or how much they consumed, but it can help identify broader consumption patterns in a community.
Among the cities studied, Prince Albert recorded the highest methamphetamine readings, while Saskatoon and Edmonton were also high. Halifax showed relatively low methamphetamine but higher cocaine, Montreal had comparatively low opioid levels, and Toronto stood out for the highest average MDMA levels. Researchers said local supply chains, drug trafficking patterns and changing drug mixtures can help explain the differences.