British ColumbiaB.C. continues to see a downward trend in toxic drug deaths, with preliminary figures showing 150 people died in October due to unregulated drug toxicity. 150 suspected deaths were recorded in October, an 8% drop year-over-yearAkshay Kulkarni · CBC News · Posted: Dec 02, 2025 9:54 PM EST | Last Updated: 8 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 2 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.People rally on the ninth anniversary of B.C.’s toxic drug public health emergency earlier this year. The latest figures from the B.C. Coroners Service show a continuing downward trend in the number of people dying due to toxic drugs in the province. (Ben Nelms/CBC)British Columbia continues to see a downward trend in toxic drug deaths, with preliminary figures showing 150 people died in October due to unregulated drug toxicity. The figure represents around an eight per cent drop from October 2024, when the B.C. Coroners Service recorded 163 deaths.Overall, up until Oct. 31 this year, there has been around a 23 per cent dip in the number of toxic drug deaths across B.C. compared to the same period last year.Still, more than 16,000 people have died in B.C. due to toxic drugs since a public health emergency was declared in 2016.This year, just under five people per day in B.C. die due to toxic drugs, according to the coroners service, largely due to toxic opioids like fentanyl.The service says trades workers recorded the highest death rate among those who died this year and whose occupations were tracked.While reported deaths due to toxic drugs have been falling, authorities say the number of non-fatal overdoses is increasing.Two weeks ago, the First Nations Health Authority revealed that B.C. saw a record number of 911 calls about toxic drug overdoses on Nov. 19.That same week, a shelter in B.C.’s Cowichan Valley saw an estimated 80 toxic drug poisonings in a 24-hour period and ran out of the anti-opioid drug naloxone.Authorities continue to recommend that drug users test their drugs and not use alone. WATCH | 9 years since public health emergency was declared:B.C. marks 9 years since the toxic drug crisis was declared a public health emergencyNine years ago today, B.C. declared the toxic drug crisis a public emergency. More than 16,000 people have been killed since then. While recent numbers have shown a decline, people working in the field say there are many more lives to save.
Number of suspected toxic drug deaths trending down in B.C., October coroner figures reveal
