British Columbia·NewErin Kapela, executive director of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Cowichan Valley Branch, said an estimated 80 toxic drug poisonings were reported from Nov. 18 to 19 — but as of Nov. 25, no resulting fatalities had been confirmed. ‘An absolute miracle’ there have been no confirmed deaths following poisonings, CMHA exec saysCourtney Dickson · CBC News · Posted: Nov 26, 2025 10:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 29 minutes agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.A shelter in Duncan, B.C., handed out so much naloxone on Nov. 18 amid increased toxic drug poisonings in the community that it actually ran out of supplies. (David Gunn/CBC)A shelter in B.C.’s Cowichan Valley ran out of naloxone last week after the area saw an estimated 80 toxic drug poisonings in a 24-hour period, according to officials. Erin Kapela, executive director of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Cowichan Valley Branch, said reports of “a very high number of overdoses” at a Duncan shelter it operates, as well as the surrounding area, started pouring in on the evening of Nov. 18. “We’ve never experienced something quite like that,” she told CBC’s All Points West. “It was really scary.”The Warmland House Shelter in Duncan, B.C., responded to a sharp increase in toxic drug poisonings on Nov. 18. (Google Maps)The Island Health Authority confirmed in an email to CBC News that there was a “dramatic increase” in toxic drug poisonings that night.Kapela said an estimated 80 poisonings were reported over a 24-hour period from Nov. 18 to 19.But as of Nov. 25, no resulting fatalities had been confirmed. There are some people who are in quite serious condition, but at this point there’s been no fatalities, which is an absolute miracle.- Erin KapelaKapela said that speaks to the hard work of first responders, shelter staff and community members who moved quickly to make sure people in the area had naloxone. They handed out so much naloxone, the drug that reverses opioid overdoses, that the shelter actually ran out. “We had to put a call out the next day to replenish our stock because we had gone through so much, and also distributed so much to the community,” she said. Island Health said it helped get additional naloxone to the shelter, though the health authority itself did not run out of supplies. Kapela said the increased poisonings were the result of “really bad drugs.”“Whatever was in that particular supply was very, very toxic and dangerous,” she said.The following day, Island Health issued a drug poisoning overdose advisory, letting people in the Cowichan Valley know about increased risk associated with using unregulated substances in the area. PLEASE SHARE: #Cowichan Overdose Advisory There are options for safer use: Find information on supervised consumption sites, drug-checking services & more: https://t.co/yU4NJa3Aql pic.twitter.com/DqRU4Y3H9v—VanIslandHealthAs of Sept. 30, there have been an estimated 1,384 unregulated drug deaths in B.C. this year. This year’s rate is down 31 per cent compared with two years ago, part of a decline that has been occurring across much of North America.Almost half of the deaths this year occurred in a private home, while 21 per cent of the deaths occurred outdoors.Kapela said the only way to be prepared for an event like this in the future would be to get people housed with proper wrap-around support. “We know what to do to keep people safe, and if we could get people housed and taken care of properly, then we could avoid situations like this quite well.”ABOUT THE AUTHORCourtney Dickson is an award-winning journalist with CBC News based in Vancouver, B.C.With files from All Points West and The Canadian Press
Shelter runs out of naloxone as B.C. community sees 80 drug overdoses in 24 hours
