B.C. toxic drug deaths decline, though 6 people still die each day, coroner says

B.C. Ambulance paramedic Jeff Booton cleans his ambulance at station 233 in Lions Bay, B.C. Wednesday, April 22, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

British Columbia's coroner service says at least 1,158 people died from toxic street drugs in the province in the first six months of 2024, marking a nine per cent drop in drug fatalities over last year.

The province's latest findings released Tuesday show 181 people died from suspected drug toxicity in May and 185 died in June, maintaining B.C.'s average drug-toxicity fatality rate at six deaths per day.

Drug toxicity remains the leading killer of British Columbians between the ages of 10 and 59, accounting for more deaths than accidents, homicides, suicides and natural causes combined.

Nearly half of the drug deaths reported in May and June were among people between the ages of 30 and 49, according to the data.

While men and boys accounted for 72 per cent of all drug deaths in 2024, the coroner service says death rates among females are trending upward, reaching 28 per cent of deaths this year.

"People are continuing to lose their loved ones in communities across B.C. at a tragic rate," acting chief coroner John McNamee said in a statement accompanying the data. "The number of lives lost is still significant."

Fentanyl continues to be the main driver of toxic drug deaths in B.C., with the highly potent synthetic opioid found in 82 per cent of expedited toxicology tests in 2024, according to the coroner service.

B.C.'s minister of mental health and addictions issued a statement coinciding with the latest drug fatality numbers, saying the rate of drug deaths in B.C. is now at its lowest point in the past four years.

"We are monitoring this closely as we continue to expand access to treatment and recovery services, and services to keep people safe," Jennifer Whiteside said.

"Every single one of these people was irreplaceable to their loved ones, and our words fall short of bringing comfort to those who are grieving and enduring a heartbreaking loss," the mental health and addictions minister added.

"Every single one of these deaths is a stark reminder that there is more work to do. There is no one solution that will end this crisis."

B.C. first declared a public-health emergency due to drug toxicity deaths in April 2016, and more than 14,900 people have died from toxic drugs in the province since.