Parliamentary Committee Notes: Lines on Fentanyl

• Our approach focuses on enforcement efforts aimed at disrupting organized drug crime to stem the flow of toxic illegal drugs and precursor chemicals into our communities. These include:
• Strengthening our border against the importation of illegal drugs and the precursor chemicals used to make many of them;
• Working with domestic and international law enforcement partners to disrupt clandestine production and drug trafficking networks;
• Countering illicit finance; and
• Investing in gun and gang violence prevention. 

Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy

• The renewed Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy (CDSS) is Canada's response to substance-related harms and the overdose crisis in Canada. The renewed CDSS is an all-substances, public health and safety strategy through which over 15 federal government departments and agencies collaborate to minimize substance-related harms for individuals, families, and communities.
• Budget 2023 proposed an additional $359.2 million over five years, starting in 2023-24 to support a renewed CDSS, building on the more than $800 million the federal government has provided to address the overdose crisis since 2017. Of this, more than $52 million over five years is earmarked specifically to strengthen enforcement efforts at home and internationally through the RCMP ($42 million), Public Safety Canada ($4.6 million), Public Services and Procurement Canada ($6.2 million) and Global Affairs Canada ($1.6 million).

International engagement

• Drug traffickers do not respect borders. This is why Canada works closely with international partners to target organized drug crime and address each link of the illegal drug supply chain.
• The primary frameworks of cooperation are the Canada-U.S. Opioids Action Plan (OAP), Cross Border Fentanyl Task Force, North American Drug Dialogue (NADD), and North American Trilateral Fentanyl Committee.
• Through these forums, Canada is working with like-minded countries to bring our policy approaches, border control and law enforcement operations closer together to help improve the safety of people in Canada and around the world.
• For example, through the OAP, Canadian police are sharing samples of seized opioids with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration for analysis to identify drug production sources and support investigations.
• Through the NADD, we are working jointly to combat financial crimes that enable global drug trafficking and distribution and with source and transit countries of drugs coming to North America to share best practices and strengthen our borders in response to common threats.

Production of synthetic drugs in Canada

• The Government is committed to curtailing the flow of synthetic opioids and their precursor chemicals across the Canadian border.
• Evidence indicates that synthetic drugs are being produced domestically. This trend is based on the number of illicit drug production sites (clandestine drug labs) identified by police and the significant seizures of precursor chemicals at different Canadian ports of entry.
• The quantities of precursors seized during some investigations confirms that these illicit production facilities are capable of producing multiple kilograms of fentanyl in a single production cycle.
• To this end, we continue to work with domestic and international law and border enforcement to disrupt clandestine production and drug trafficking networks.
• The RCMP’s National Chemical Precursor Diversion Program works with Canadian stakeholders in the industry to prevent the diversion of precursors and essential chemicals from legitimate industry to illicit production.
• In addition, the RCMP operates Clandestine Laboratory Enforcement and Response (CLEAR) teams across Canada. These teams target organized crime groups involved in the production of illegal substances, including fentanyl, and also provide specialized support to local law enforcement in detecting and dismantling clandestine drug laboratories.
• The Government has also taken steps to strengthen the border against the flow of illegal drugs and precursor chemicals, both inbound and outbound.
• Specifically, the Canada Border Services Agency has detection tools in place for border services officers to safely and effectively detect, examine and interdict these substances. Border services officers are highly trained in contraband examination techniques and are aware of the latest concealment trends. Their efforts help to prevent the international movement of potent synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl, and the precursor chemicals used to produce many of them.
• If pressed on the size/scale of issue:
• It is difficult to provide a precise estimate of the size and scope of the drug trade in Canada. This is true of any clandestine activity. Nevertheless, based on the impact that it is having in terms of substance use related harms and the violence that often accompanies the drug trade, it is a significant problem.

Export of fentanyl produced in Canada to the United States and other countries

• Seizures by foreign countries, including the U.S. indicate that some of Canada's clandestine drug production is being exported.
• However, despite recent media reporting, there is limited-to-no evidence or data from Canadian law enforcement agencies to support the claim that Canadian-produced fentanyl is an increasing threat to the U.S. and other countries.
• The CBSA reports a notable decline in fentanyl export seizures since 2023, likely due to a lack of success in establishing an illicit fentanyl market in target countries.
• Fentanyl produced in Canada is typically much more expensive than fentanyl produced elsewhere, such as Mexico.
• The U.S. illegal fentanyl market is largely supplied by organized drug criminals based in Mexico. U.S. Customs and Border Protection regularly seizes a relatively small amount of fentanyl at the U.S. Northern Border, compared with the Southwest Border, which officials understand is largely for personal use. Recent seizures include:

Sanctions against drug traffickers, similar to the United States

Canada, via Global Affairs Canada, is judicious in its approach to imposing sanctions, both against individuals and against states, and is committed to their effective and coordinated use when appropriate.

To that end, Global Affairs Canada has established a rigorous due diligence process to consider and evaluate possible cases of human rights violations, corruption or other circumstances that may warrant the use of sanctions.

We also consider the broader political and international contexts when deciding whether sanctions or any other tools in Canada’s foreign policy toolbox may be an appropriate response.

Canada continues to work with its international partners to address the illegal production and trafficking of synthetic opioids that are a key driver of the overdose crisis.

Key statistics

Clandestine labs

Between 2018 and 2023, Canadian law enforcement dismantled 40 sites where evidence of illegal fentanyl production was present.

Analysis demonstrates that most of the fentanyl production facilities dismantled were likely “super labs” capable of producing more than 5 kilograms of finished product per production cycle.

While the majority (23) were located in urban areas, many were also in rural areas, likely to avoid detection.  

For example, in October 2024, the RCMP in British Columbia dismantled Canada’s largest and most sophisticated drug “super lab”, preventing over 95 million potentially lethal doses of fentanyl from reaching communities and being exported abroad.

Officers seized approximately half a tonne of drugs, including 54 kg of fentanyl, 390 kg methamphetamine, 35 kg of cocaine, 15 kg of MDMA and 6 kg of cannabis. Investigators also intercepted 89 firearms, including 45 handguns, 21 AR-15-style rifles and submachine guns. The searches also yielded several explosive devices, ammunition, firearm silencers, high-capacity magazines, body armour, and $500,000 in cash.

Border seizures

In 2019, China regulated fentanyl and its analogues, at which time, CBSA noted a decrease in seizures of finished fentanyl at the border. But thereafter, seizures of precursor chemicals used in fentanyl production increased.

In 2022, the CBSA seized a record number of shipments of fentanyl precursor chemicals, more than doubling the already significant increases observed in 2021.

The CBSA continues to seize inbound shipments of finished fentanyl. For example, in fiscal-year 2023-24, the CBSA seized inbound shipments of finished fentanyl for a total of 946 grams.

In 2023, the CBSA seized over 72,200 kg of prohibited drugs, cannabis, narcotics and chemicals, and so far in 2024, the CBSA has seized over 25,600 kg of prohibited drugs, cannabis, narcotics and chemicals.

Over the past two years, the Canada Border Services Agency has intercepted over 13 tonnes of illegal drugs at land crossings across the country.

Date modified:

2025-03-28