Unregulated toxic drugs killed 187 British Columbians in August and 183 in September, according to the BC Coroners Service.
In both August and September, approximately six people died each day in BC from suspected unregulated drugs.
Northern Health has the highest toxic drug death rate of the regions, at 70 deaths per hundred thousand.
Compared to the provincial average being 41 deaths per 100,000 individuals in 2024.
In Terrace, unregulated toxic deaths continue to climb year over year. In 2016 we saw 4 toxic drug deaths in a year, and now in 2024 that number is at 23 deaths due to illicit drugs in just the first nine months of the year.
The toxic drug death rate in Terrace is over three times of the rate it is in Smithers, and nearly three times the rate of Kitimat.
Terrace also has the worst toxic drug death rate of any community in the north.
The rate in Terrace is currently 150 deaths per 100,000, and the next highest in the north is Prince George, with 114 deaths per 100,000.
Across BC, Fentanyl is still the drug most commonly involved.
In 2014, Fentanyl was involved in 24.6 % of unregulated drug deaths in BC.
That number spiked to the 80% range in 2017 and has remained there, with fentanyl detected in 84% of unregulated drug deaths in BC in 2023.
The rate of female deaths across BC has also increased year over year. in 2024, the rate of death among women due to illicit drugs is 60% higher than in 2020.
And of all the province, Female illicit drug deaths are the worst in the Northern Health region, at 51 per 100, 000. The next highest is the Island health authority, at 30 per 100,00.
All of the referenced data and the rest of the report is available here: https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiZThmOTkxMzgtZWUzNS00ODk1LWJiZjItYzMyMTFjNmY0MzJiIiwidCI6IjZmZGI1MjAwLTNkMGQtNGE4YS1iMDM2LWQzNjg1ZTM1OWFkYyJ9