B.C. toxic drug deaths show another steep decline, down 32 per cent in April

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There were 522 deaths in the first four months of the year, down 16 per cent compared to last year and more than 41 per cent lower than in the first quarter of 2023, the year that deaths peaked in B.C.

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So far this year, people between the ages of 30 to 59 made up about 68 per cent of overdose deaths, while about 76 per cent of those who have died were men.

“Since 2021, the death rate among individuals 60 and older has remained relatively stable, while the death rate among those between 19 and 59 has declined significantly over the same period,” the coroners service said.

April marked a decade since the overdose crisis in B.C. was declared a public health emergency, with more than 18,000 people dying since then as powerful opioids hit the street drug market.

Year-to-date statistics show the synthetic opioid fluorofentanyl was found in 67 per cent of those who died and underwent expedited testing, while cocaine, fentanyl and methamphetamine were all detected in more than half of the deaths.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2026.

The Canadian Press