Barely more than one-10th of 1 per cent of fentanyl seizures at the northern border have been positively attributed to Canada by the United States border agency, according to new data released to The Globe and Mail.

The figures, which were obtained through American freedom-of-information laws, reveal that border officials track the origin of the drugs they seize in what they call the northern border region – an area that comprises 34 states. In fiscal 2024, the data show that 99.87 per cent of the fentanyl they recovered was linked to either Mexico or the United States, or had unknown origins. Fentanyl identified as coming from Canada amounted to 0.74 pounds – or 0.13 per cent. The data exclude seizures still under investigation, including at least one case U.S. authorities have connected to Canada.

The figures call into question the Trump administration’s basis for declaring a national emergency over fentanyl “pouring” across the northern border, which unlocked special powers to unilaterally impose tariffs on Canadian goods, and whether the information was communicated to the White House. It also casts yet more doubt on the degree to which Canadian fentanyl is a culprit in the U.S. toxic drug crisis.

In justifying the tariffs, the White House has repeatedly cited U.S. Customs and Border Protection data to assert that 43 pounds of fentanyl was seized at the northern border last fiscal year, accusing Canada of being responsible for a “massive 2050% increase” compared with the year prior.