11.68°C Vancouver

Jun 6, 2024 7:50 PM - The Canadian Press

182 deaths linked to B.C. unregulated drugs in April, 14,500 deaths in eight years

Share On
182-deaths-linked-to-b-c-unregulated-drugs-in-april-14-500-deaths-in-eight-years
It says in the eight years since the public-health emergency was declared, 14,582 people in the province have died from toxic drugs, including 763 in the first four months of this year.(Photo: The Canadian Press)

The British Columbia Coroners Service says 182 people died in April from drug overdoses.

A statement from the service says the toll represents a 24 per cent decrease in deaths from April 2023, but "the risk posed by unregulated drug supply remains very high."

It says in the eight years since the public-health emergency was declared, 14,582 people in the province have died from toxic drugs, including 763 in the first four months of this year.

The coroner says fentanyl continues to be the primary driver of overdoses this year, and was detected in 82 per cent of toxicological tests.

Unregulated drug toxicity remains the leading cause of death for people in the province between the ages of 10 and 59, and accounts for more deaths than homicides, suicides, accidents and natural disease combined.

The statement says about 70 per cent of the people who died in April were male and the death rate for females has nearly doubled since 2020, from about 13 to 23 per 100,000 in 2024.

Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Jennifer Whiteside calls the latest deaths tragic.

"We're taking action to build up services that we know work for people and we'll continue to look for more ways to connect people to the care they need," she said in a separate statement.

"Because for as many pathways as there are into addiction, we need just as many pathways toward healing and recovery."

The latest numbers released Thursday come a day after Premier David Eby announced the appointment of Dr. Daniel Vigo as the province's first chief scientific adviser for psychiatry, toxic drugs and concurrent disorders.

Vigo's role focuses on improving the care for people with overlapping mental-health and addiction issues and brain injuries from toxic-drug poisoning.

Eby said on Wednesday that some of the people who survive overdoses are left with life-altering brain injuries that affect their ability to function.

He said patients with overlapping needs who live and get care in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside often suffer repeated health emergencies.

The premier said 612 patients went to emergency rooms 10 times or more last year, including one person who made 180 visits.

Latest news

police-investigate-shots-fired-at-surrey-business
CanadaOct 29, 2025

Police probe overnight shooting that damaged Surrey business

Police in Surrey are investigating after gunfire caused property damage to a business in the city’s South Surrey area earlier this week. Surrey Police Service (SPS) and the RCMP Surrey Provincial Operations Support Unit (SPOSU) say the incident was reported around 11:35 a.m. on October 28. Officers were called to a business in the 15200 block of Croydon Drive, where they confirmed that the building’s exterior had been struck by bullets. Investigators believe the shooting took place sometime between 8:30 p.m. on October 27 and 8:30 a.m. the next morning. No one was inside the business at th
drug-related-offences-rise-nationally-for-first-time-in-12-years-statcan
CanadaOct 29, 2025

Drug-related offences rise nationally for first time in 12 years – StatCan

Statistics Canada says the country’s rate of police-reported drug crime has increased for the first time in more than a decade, marking a 13 per cent jump between 2023 and 2024. The new data shows the rise was driven by higher numbers of possession and trafficking charges involving cannabis, cocaine and opioids other than heroin. Despite the recent uptick, the national rate remains well below its historical peak. The 2024 figure stood at 128 incidents per 100,000 people – down 61 per cent from a high of 330 in 2011. The Northwest Territories recorded the highest rate of drug crime last yea
bc-government-calls-emergency-meeting-with-federal-ministers
BCOct 29, 2025

BC government calls emergency meeting with federal ministers

The BC government is calling an emergency meeting with federal ministers in Vancouver next week, also known as the Forestry Sector Summit, in light of the trade dispute with the US and the recent increase in tariffs on softwood, with Forestry Minister Ravi Parmar inviting federal ministers Dominique LeBlanc and Melanie Joly to attend. The BC government intends to seek financial assistance from the federal government to help the struggling forestry sector and combat the tariffs. Parmar said that forestry for us in BC is like the auto sector and the steel sector, which the government should a
IndiaOct 29, 2025

CBI books Punjab DIG HS Bhullar in fresh case for amassing disproportionate assets

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a fresh case against arrested Punjab IPS officer Harcharan Singh Bhullar for allegedly amassing disproportionate assets running into several crores, far beyond his known sources of income. The registration of this second case follows a detailed written complaint dated October 29 by CBI Inspector Sonal Mishra, who cited the recovery of massive undeclared wealth from Bhullar’s residence during searches earlier this month.
a-serious-motorcycle-crash-that-closed-highway-97c-is-prompting-a-call-for-witnesses-and-video
BCOct 29, 2025

A serious motorcycle crash that closed Highway 97C is prompting a call for witnesses and video

Police are looking for witnesses and dash-camera video to explain what led to a serious, single-vehicle motorcycle collision that shut down Highway 97C. On October 27, 2025, at 2:15 p.m., a blue Harley-Davidson with two people on board crashed on Highway 97C several kilometres north of the junction with Highway #8. The driver of the motorcycle, a 37-year-old man was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. His passenger, a 39-year-old Logan Lake woman was hospitalized with life-altering and life-threatening injuries. “Alcohol and speed are being investigated as contributing fa

Related News