BC: 165 people died from unregulated toxic drugs in April 2025

Preliminary reporting released by the BC Coroners Service (BCCS) finds that 165 people died from unregulated toxic drugs in April 2025.

In 2025, deaths among those between the ages of 30 and 59 accounted for 68% of drug-toxicity deaths in the province, and 77% were male.

April marks a return to more than 160 deaths attributed to unregulated drug toxicity reported to the BC Coroners Service after six consecutive months of reporting fewer than 160 deaths a month.

By health authority in 2025, the highest number of unregulated drug deaths were in Fraser and Vancouver Coastal health authorities (185 and 155 deaths, respectively) making up 57% of all such deaths during 2025.

Consistent with reporting throughout the public-health emergency, fentanyl and its analogues continue to be the most common substance detected in expedited toxicological testing. More than three-quarters of decedents who underwent expedited testing in 2025 were found to have fentanyl in their systems (68%), followed by methamphetamine (51%) and cocaine (48%).

It is important to note that data from the report is preliminary and subject to change as additional toxicological results are received and investigations conclude.

Additional key findings in 2025 include:

* the number of unregulated drug deaths in April 2025 equates to approximately 5.5 deaths per day;

* the cities experiencing the highest number of unregulated drug deaths so far in 2025 are Vancouver, Surrey and Greater Victoria;

* the highest rates of deaths reported were in Northern Health (46 deaths per 100,000 individuals) and Interior Health (35 per 100,000 individuals);

* 47% of deaths reported occurred in a private residence, compared with 21% outdoors; and

* smoking continues to be the primary mode of consumption of unregulated toxic drugs, with 64% of investigations indicating the decedent smoked their substances.