Canadian Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System: 2025 key findings

Canada’s national AMR surveillance system reports both promising progress and alarming trends. On the positive side, veterinary antimicrobial use is decreasing in several sectors and Canada ranks relatively low among comparable countries for human antimicrobial consumption. However, several high-priority drug-resistant pathogens continue to rise, including carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales, drug-resistant gonorrhea, and the newly added fungal threat Candida auris. Meanwhile antimicrobial use in hospitals and communities is increasing, and vulnerable populations (including Indigenous communities, unhoused persons, and GBMSM) remain disproportionately impacted. The report emphasises the urgent need for strengthened antimicrobial stewardship, integrated One Health surveillance (human, animal, environment), and equity-focused interventions to protect public health and maintain effective treatment options.