CFTK-TV

Toxic drug deaths in northwest B.C. doubled in 2021, says B.C. Coroners Service

Joshua Azizi Prince Rupert reporter

Contact

Published Wednesday, February 9, 2022 5:51PM PST Last Updated Wednesday, February 9, 2022 5:59PM PST

(File picture).

Text:

The B.C. Coroners Service says 41 people died from toxic drug overdoses in northwest B.C. last year.

In comparison, there were 18 overdose deaths in 2020 and 16 in 2019.

The northwest has the third-highest rate of toxic drug fatalities among the province's 16 health service delivery areas, behind Vancouver and the Thompson Cariboo.

Eight of those deaths happened in Upper Skeena, which had the highest per capita rate of overdose deaths among Local Health Areas in B.C.

Terrace has the 9^th highest rate – it recorded 15 deaths from toxic drugs.

There were nine deaths in Smithers, five in Prince Rupert and three in Kitimat. Fortunately, there were no deaths from toxic drugs on Haida Gwaii.

Across B.C., there were 2,224 toxic illicit drug deaths last year. It’s the most deaths ever recorded in a single year and a 26 per cent increase from 2020.