VICTORIA — The BC Coroners Service said toxic drug deaths in British Columbia were down 13 per cent last year, with the toll now lower than any year since 2020.
Chief Coroner Dr. Jatinder Baidwan said the decline is consistent with elsewhere in Canada and internationally, but doesn't mitigate the fact that 2,253 people died of overdoses in B.C. last year, or the grief felt by their loved ones.
A report issued by the service said about 70 per cent of those who died were between the ages of 30 and 59, and nearly three-quarters were male.
Baidwan said the data show a decline in fatalities over the last several months of 2024.
Fentanyl continues to be the main driver of drug deaths in B.C., with the opioid detected in 78 per cent of expedited testing last year.
B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne said in a statement that although there has been a decrease in deaths, it doesn't diminish the grief that permeates our communities.
"Our government is continuing to expand mental-health and addictions care, including early intervention and prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery services, support and complex-care housing, and more.
"We are building up a seamless system of care so everyone, no matter where they live or what their circumstances, has access to the care they need," said Osborne.
The report also included the final monthly drug death data for 2024, showing there were 152 toxic overdoses in November and 147 in December.
The report said the highest number of overdose deaths were in Fraser Health and Vancouver Coastal Health regions, accounting for 54 per cent of all deaths in 2024.
A public health emergency was declared in April 2016 over the toxic drug crisis, and since then 16,047 people in have died.
Other Canadian provinces have also reported declines in drug deaths, while the U.S. Centers for Disease Control says reported drug deaths were down 22 per cent in the United States in the year ending in August 2024.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 4, 2025.
The Canadian Press
