According to drug-checking services operated by NorWest Community Health Centres (NWCHC), over 70% of street drugs recently tested in Thunder Bay contained a veterinary tranquillizer called medetomidine. In addition, NWCHC has issued 10 drug alerts since April related to highly toxic substances found through its drug-checking services.
“I’ve learned to kind of expect the unexpected; you never really know what you can find. There’s always a new substance that surprises me, that frustrates me,” said Nicole Fieduna, a manager at NorWest, in an interview with CBC News. Data released by the Office of the Chief Coroner shows that Thunder Bay has the highest opioid-related death rate in the province which is five times higher than the Ontario average. “[In] some of the samples, we’ve seen as many as six or seven different kinds of substances in the drug, and that’s what’s really concerning,” Fieduna added.
“It’s important for us to be able to understand drug trends so we can respond more accordingly. Because it changes so quickly, we need to be able to pivot all the time.” Following the closure of Thunder Bay’s only supervised consumption site, Path 525, in March 2025, NWCHC relocated its drug-testing device to a mobile outreach van after obtaining a federal exemption under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Since the van launched in June 2025, use of its confidential drug-checking services has increased, helping identify trends in the local illicit drug supply and inform community members and first responders. The device can perform both trace analyses using small samples and bulk scans through sealed bags.
In addition, NWHC has also begun sending drug samples and used drug equipment to Toronto for more comprehensive analysis to identify emerging trends in the local illicit drug supply. The findings are shared with frontline agencies and emergency responders, while drug-checking services provide individuals with information to make more informed decisions about substance use. NWCHC also uses the LifeguardConnect app to issue drug alerts and promote overdose prevention through features such as a “use alone” timer that can notify emergency services if a user becomes unresponsive.
