Cariboo—Prince George MP Todd Doherty is calling on the federal government to provide measurable results and a renewed focus on recovery after the latest federal announcement on Canada’s toxic drug crisis.
While the government highlighted new enforcement actions, precursor chemical controls and continued investments in addiction programs, Doherty said Canadians are still waiting for answers to a simple question:
“Why are so many Canadians still dying after a decade of federal strategies, billions in spending and countless announcements? Every overdose death is someone’s son, daughter, mother, father, brother or sister,” said Doherty. “After 10 years of crisis, Canadians deserve more than announcements. They deserve results.”
The federal government recently acknowledged that more than 50,000 Canadians have died from opioid-related toxicity since 2016 and that the toxic drug crisis remains one of the most serious public health emergencies in Canadian history.
While federal officials point to a recent decline in national overdose deaths, Doherty cautioned that communities in northern British Columbia continue to bear a disproportionate burden. The federal government reported that toxic-drug deaths declined nationally in 2025, but officials also acknowledged that the crisis remains far from over.
“In northern British Columbia, families are still losing loved ones. Communities are still struggling. Frontline workers are still overwhelmed. We cannot declare success when so many families continue to experience tragedy.”
According to data released this year, Northern Health recorded the highest rate of unregulated drug deaths in British Columbia, and Prince George alone lost 66 people to toxic drugs in 2025.
“Sixty-six deaths in Prince George is not a statistic. Those are 66 empty chairs at family dinners. Those are 66 families forever changed.”
Doherty said the government’s strategy contains several significant weaknesses that must be addressed.
“The government regularly reports how much money has been spent and how many programs have been funded, but Canadians rarely hear how many people have successfully entered long-term recovery. If recovery is truly a goal, government should be measuring and reporting those outcomes.”
Families across Canada continue to report challenges accessing addictions treatment and recovery services.
“When someone reaches the point where they are ready to seek help, treatment should be available immediately. We need a system focused on helping people recover, rebuild their lives and reconnect with their families.”
Doherty said Canadians deserve transparency about which programs are producing measurable results. “Government should be able to tell Canadians which initiatives are reducing deaths, which are helping people enter recovery, and which are not working. Accountability matters.
Despite new enforcement measures, fentanyl and synthetic opioids continue to dominate the illegal drug supply and organized crime networks continue to profit from addiction and human suffering.
“Every gram of fentanyl sold represents profit for organized crime and risk for Canadian families. We need stronger action to disrupt trafficking networks and stop these deadly substances from reaching our communities.”
Doherty emphasized that Conservatives support evidence-based approaches that prioritize treatment, recovery, prevention and enforcement while demanding measurable results from government spending.
“Canadians are compassionate people. We want to help those struggling with addiction. But compassion also means being honest when a strategy is not producing the results people were promised. In Prince George, in Quesnel, in Williams Lake, and throughout northern British Columbia, families are tired of watching the crisis continue year after year. They want hope. They want treatment. They want recovery. And most importantly, they want fewer families receiving that devastating phone call in the middle of the night.
“After 10 years of this crisis, Canadians deserve a government that measures success by lives saved and recoveries achieved—not by the number of announcements made.”