109 people died from unregulated drugs in B.C. during May, preliminary coroner data shows

A preliminary report from the BC Coroners Service says 109 people died from unregulated drug toxicity in British Columbia during May 2026, an average of 3.5 deaths per day.

According to the BC Coroners Service, this is the lowest monthly total since February 2020, when 79 deaths were recorded. The agency noted the figures are preliminary and may change as investigations are completed.

The provincial government said adults between the ages of 30 and 59 accounted for 68 per cent of all unregulated drug deaths recorded during the first five months of 2026, while men represented 76 per cent of those deaths.

The report also found that 53 per cent of fatalities occurred within the Vancouver Coastal and Fraser health authorities, where 169 and 166 deaths were recorded, respectively. About 81 per cent of deaths occurred in private residences, shelters or supportive housing, while 18 per cent occurred in vehicles, on streets or in parks.

Toxicology findings confirmed the presence of substances including fluorofentanyl, cocaine, fentanyl and methamphetamine in many of the deaths investigated.