According to new data released by the BC Coroners service, Prince George saw 11 deaths of people experiencing homelessness in 2022.
In 2021, the BC Coroners Service reported 13 accidental deaths of homeless individuals in the city.
In the Northern Health region, 28 deaths of people experiencing homelessness were reported in 2022, which is slightly up from 24 people in 2021.
Province-wide, there were at least 342 deaths of people experiencing homelessness were reported to the BC Coroners Service.
That is an increase in deaths among the unhoused population of 138 per cent in the past two years.
During the period studied (2015-22), there were 1,464 deaths involving individuals identified as experiencing homelessness in British Columbia, equating to an average of 183 deaths per year. There was a significant increase from this average in 2021 and 2022.
The BC Coroner Service says that just as it has across all demographics and in communities throughout B.C., the toxic drug supply has significantly contributed to the increased number of deaths among people who are precariously housed or experiencing homelessness.
More than eight out of every 10 deaths in the review period were classified as accidental, and of those accidental deaths, more than nine in 10 were determined to have been caused by unregulated drugs.
