Grand Erie Public Health has extended the community drug alert it first issued in late August, warning residents across Brantford, Brant County, Haldimand County and Norfolk County that the unregulated drug supply remains unpredictable.
The health unit says there were 51 drug-related emergency department visits across Brantford-Brant and Haldimand-Norfolk between 22 August and 3 September. It also recorded seven suspected drug-related deaths across the region during August.
Opioids and medetomidine were involved in many of the recent incidents, according to the health unit, which says substances in the unregulated supply carry unknown potency.
Its advice to anyone who uses drugs: avoid unprescribed substances, take particular care with a new supply or a new supplier, and never use alone. The National Overdose Response Service can stay on the line during use at 1-888-688-6677. The health unit urges people to carry naloxone whether or not they expect opioids to be involved, and to use drug test strips that detect fentanyl, xylazine or medetomidine.
Naloxone reverses overdoses caused by opioids, including non-opioid drugs contaminated with them, and does no harm to someone who has not taken opioids. It can wear off before a person has fully recovered, so the health unit says emergency services should still be called.
Test strips are available at SOAR Community Services at two Brantford locations, at The DROP in Simcoe, and from the Positive Health Network van, which can be reached by phone or text.
Source: https://geph.ca/grand-erie-public-health-extends-community-drug-alert/, 4 September 2026.
