071a Pain for Profit: Canada's Opioid Crisis Artwork

Canadian Creepies

Welcome to Canadian Creepies—the podcast that digs into the dark corners of Canada’s past and present. Your hosts Valerie, Ali, Amanda Joy ( host of Down the Crooked Path), and sometimes Kyle explore the true crime cases that haunt us, the paranormal encounters that make us question what’s real, and the unsettling folklore that lingers just out of sight.

From cults to cold cases, ghosts to government cover-ups, we don’t just tell the stories—we ask why they still matter.

It’s creepy. It’s Canadian. And it’s probably going to keep you up at night.

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Canadian Creepies

071a Pain for Profit: Canada's Opioid Crisis

June 25, 2026 • Canadian Creepies • Season 2 • Episode 71

0:00 | 56:41

Send us a text, tell us your canadian creepy!

This week on Canadian Creepies, we examine one of the deadliest public health disasters in Canadian history: the opioid crisis.

For years, the public narrative focused on addiction, personal responsibility, and the visible consequences on our streets. But behind that story lies another one—of pharmaceutical marketing campaigns, regulatory failures, corporate profits, and a healthcare system that left thousands of Canadians vulnerable.

From the rise of OxyContin and the marketing tactics used to convince doctors that opioids were safe, to the fentanyl-driven overdose crisis that continues to claim lives across the country, we trace the decisions that helped shape a national tragedy.

With more than 55,000 Canadians lost to opioid toxicity since 2016, this is not simply a story about substances. It is a story about policy, profit, stigma, survival, and the families left behind.

This episode was researched by Christine.

Also this week, our Creep of the Week examines a disturbing Ontario case involving an aunt who pleaded guilty after throwing acid on her niece, causing life-altering injuries.

Content warning: addiction, overdose, death, violence, and discussions of substance use.

✨ This episode also highlights the work of Niagara Reproductive Justice (NRJ)— Learn more or support their work by visiting their social media or emailing niagarareproductivejustice@gmail.com.

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Edited by Kyle McDonnell