16.23°C Vancouver

Aug 30, 2024 7:28 PM - The Canadian Press

192 toxic drug deaths in B.C. in July, down 15 per cent, says coroner

Share On
192-toxic-drug-deaths-in-b-c-in-july-down-15-per-cent-says-coroner
The service says in a release that 1,365 people have died of drug toxicity this year up to the end of July, a rate of death that is also down.(Photo: The Canadian Press)

The British Columbia Coroners Service says at least 192 people died in July in the province due to unregulated drug toxicity, down 15 per cent from the same month last year.

The service says in a release that 1,365 people have died of drug toxicity this year up to the end of July, a rate of death that is also down.

The annualized death rate is 41 per 100,000 residents, compared to 46.6 in 2023 and 43.9 in 2021.

Chief coroner Dr. Jatinder Baidwan says the current rate equates to about 6.2 people dying every day in the province from the drug toxicity crisis.

Coroners service data show the greatest number of suspected drug toxicity deaths this year have been in Vancouver with 296, Surrey with 130 and Greater Victoria with 101, while the Northern Health's region has the highest concentration of cases at 75.7 deaths per 100,000 people.

Provincial Mental Health and Addictions Minister Jennifer Whiteside says in a statement that the latest numbers are a sombre reminder that B.C. needs to "expand access to treatment and recovery."

"Getting help should be quick and easy, no matter where you live in British Columbia or where you are in your recovery journey," Whiteside says, noting the province's recent launch of an Opioid Treatment Access Line offering health-care connections to those in need of support.

Latest news

jagmeet-singhs-brother-says-canadians-warned-about-risk-to-their-life-deserve-protection
CanadaJun 13, 2025

Jagmeet Singh's brother says Canadians warned about risk to their life deserve protection

The brother of former federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, who has been active in Canadian politics for many years, has demanded that Canadians who have been warned of a threat to their lives should be provided with security. Gurrattan Singh raised this issue after Sikh Organization of Canada spokesperson Balpreet Singh told a press conference yesterday that dozens of Sikh Canadians are currently on active duty to warm. This notice is given by the police to alert a person when they suspect a credible threat. Gurrattan Singh said that immediate steps should be taken to provide security to those
police-seeking-witnesses-after-uptown-assault
CanadaJun 13, 2025

Police seeking witnesses after Uptown assault

The New Westminster Police Department is seeking witnesses and encouraging victims to come forward following an incident in the Uptown neighbourhood on the evening of Saturday, June 7 at approximately 6:20pm. Officers responded to reports of a man chasing people and throwing objects at members of the public. Witnesses shared the man ripped off a tree branch and struck several people with it. The suspect was located by officers near the New Westminster Public Library and arrested. “This may have been a frightening experience for those who witnessed it or were directly impacted,” stated Serg
chief-public-health-officer-dr-theresa-tam-leaving-position-on-june-20
CanadaJun 13, 2025

Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam leaving position on June 20

Canada's Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam is leaving her position at the end of next week. Tam has been in the role since June 2017, but became a household name in the last five years as she led the country's public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic.   Tam says her term ends on Friday, June 20 and she doesn't have another job lined up. She is taking a break to think about new opportunities, spend more time with family and get back to some of her passions, including playing music and long-distance running. A pediatric infectious disease physician by training, Tam joined
surrey-man-faces-15-charges-after-bc-highway-patrol-investigation-into-fatal-crash
CanadaJun 13, 2025

Surrey man faces 15 charges after BC Highway Patrol investigation into fatal crash

After just over a year of investigation by the BC Highway Patrol, a Surrey man has been formally charged. He faces 15 counts in a collision that killed two people and injured three others. On February 18, 2024, at 3:00 a.m., a minivan and a Tesla collided on the side of Highway 1 near the Sprott Street exit in Burnaby, BC. A 20-year-old woman and a 23-year-old woman, both from Maple Ridge, were killed in the collision. Two other Maple Ridge women in their twenties were seriously injured, as was a Surrey man in his thirties. On June 9, 2025, the BC Prosecution Service charged Chi Sun Park, 35,
former-alberta-health-agency-ceo-asks-for-speedy-ruling-in-lawsuit-against-government
AlbertaJun 13, 2025

Former Alberta health agency CEO asks for speedy ruling in lawsuit against government

A former health agency C-E-O is asking a judge to deliver a quick decision on her wrongful dismissal lawsuit against the Alberta government. But the province says it will push back. Athana Mentzelopoulos (MENT-suh-LOW-po-luss), the former head of Alberta Health Services, has applied for a summary judgment on the legality of her firing, which would keep the case from going to trial. Her lawsuit alleges she was improperly fired after investigating questionable, multimillion-dollar health contracts. She says her version of events will be confirmed by former A-H-S board members, if t

Related News