Canada’s Fentanyl Czar

About

Fentanyl is a lethal drug that has torn apart communities and families across Canada and the United States. Confronting this very serious issue requires a whole-of-government approach.

This is why Canada appointed a Fentanyl Czar, responsible for working with all levels of Canadian government and with U.S. counterparts to advance efforts to stop the production and trafficking of illegal fentanyl.

Canada’s Fentanyl Czar has joined the fight and is actively working with frontline workers, public health authorities, and law enforcement officials at all levels of government.

Together, we are taking concrete action to protect our communities, care for our families and punish criminals who profit from this deadly drug.

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Harming our communities

Fentanyl is 20 to 40 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine, making accidental overdose risks very high.

It can be mixed with other drugs such as heroin and cocaine. It is also being found in counterfeit pills that are made to look like prescription opioids.

As it is an odourless and tasteless drug, you may not even know you are taking it.

Taking action

Canada’s Fentanyl Czar is fully committed to a comprehensive, whole-of-Canada approach to advancing the country’s fight against fentanyl. Since the position’s creation in February 2025, the Czar has been actively engaging authorities at all levels to help protect our communities, build our resilience and punish the criminals who profit from this deadly drug.

At the frontlines

Meeting with those who see the fentanyl crisis firsthand is an essential step in ensuring national strategies are effective. By informing Canada’s approach with real-world experience, we can deliver better outcomes in enforcement, prevention and harm reduction.

Canada’s Fentanyl Czar has been actively engaging frontline workers and first responders at all levels of government to better understand their challenges, facilitate information-sharing, and offer support to the implementation of proven enforcement strategies.

Their on-the-ground experience in understanding how fentanyl is trafficked, patterns of use, and enforcement challenges in their communities offers invaluable insight to help shape effective approaches and policies that ultimately keep our borders, communities, and families safer.

In our communities

Understanding regional and cultural perspectives is crucial in the fight against fentanyl. Urban centers, rural areas, and Indigenous populations face unique challenges, requiring unique strategies.

Canada’s Fentanyl Czar is working towards holding deep and meaningful conversations with cultural and policy leaders at all levels of government and across Canada’s rich, diverse diaspora. These efforts will help support measured, tailored approaches that are key to saving lives and reducing harm.

By working with provincial, municipal and cultural leaders, Canada can help advance multi-jurisdictional policy and regulatory measures aimed at stopping fentanyl production, curbing distribution and caring for victims and their families.

Recognizing the international nature of the crisis, he has engaged with American counterparts to share Canada’s successful initiatives and collaborate on cross-border enforcement.

On the world stage

Canada’s fight against fentanyl does not stop at home. It is a global issue that transcends borders. International criminal networks are chiefly responsible for the production, trafficking, and distribution of fentanyl and they must be stopped.

Canada’s Fentanyl Car is actively and deeply engaged with U.S. counterparts, as both countries continue their close cooperation in dismantling criminal networks and eliminating the flow of fentanyl.

By taking a leadership role in collaborating with U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies, Canada is doing its part to disrupt transnational supply chains, limit access to precursor chemicals, and strengthen enforcement at the border.

Delivering on commitments

Canada is delivering on its commitment to fight fentanyl and protect communities. This year alone, the federal government has:

• ✔ Launched the Canada-U.S. Joint Strike Force to combat organized crime, fentanyl and money laundering, supported by an investment of $200 million allowing Canada to gather and share intelligence on transnational organized crime with U.S. partners and law enforcement across the continent.
• ✔ Authorized targeted, effective anti-fentanyl enforcement actions by the Canada Border Services Agency and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
• ✔ Listed seven transnational criminal organizations (cartels) as terrorist entities, supporting criminal investigations and strengthening Canada’s ability to prevent and disrupt illegal fentanyl activity in Canada.
• ✔ Launched the new Integrated Money Laundering Intelligence Partnership (IMLIP), supporting the sharing of money laundering and organized crime intelligence between law enforcement and Canada’s big banks.
• ✔ Implemented additional controls for precursor chemicals that can be used in the production of illegal drugs.
• ✔ Invested $30.7 million to launch a Precursor Chemical Risk Management Unit (PCRMU) to strengthen Canada’s ability to support law and border enforcement.
• ✔ Invested $48 million to establish the Canadian Drug Analysis Centre (CDAC), significantly expanding Canada’s drug testing lab capacity and analysis capabilities through new dedicated lab spaces in Toronto and Vancouver.
• ✔ Announced the implementation of new regulatory amendments to strengthen Canada’s Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing (AML/ATF) framework and ensure that it is even more robust and effective in addressing threats of financial crime.

Achieving results

Canada’s actions in detecting, disrupting, and dismantling the illegal fentanyl trade are generating positive results:

• ✔ Less fentanyl, fewer overdoses and fewer deaths in Canada and the U.S.
• ✔ 10,000 border personnel standing guard, 24/7, with cutting edge equipment.
• ✔ Better intelligence sharing, keeping Canadians and Americans safer.
• ✔ More drug labs shut down - 47 fentanyl labs shut down since 2018.
• ✔ Stronger capabilities to disrupt and dismantle organized crime.
• ✔ A dramatic 90% reduction of illegal border crossings from Canada to the U.S. since June 2024.