Unregulated toxic drug deaths up in April

A downward trend in toxic drug deaths came to an end in April, according to preliminary reporting from the BC Coroners Service (BCCS).

The BCCS says 165 people died as a result of unregulated drug toxicity in that month in B.C., amounting to around 5.5 deaths per day on average.

“April marks a return to more than 160 deaths attributed to unregulated drug toxicity reported to the BC Coroners Service after six consecutive months of reporting fewer than 160 deaths a month,” said a release by the province Tuesday.

The BC Green Party says the reversal underscores the “widening gaps in care, housing, and access to life-saving service” in the province.

Leader Jeremy Valeriote says the deaths are preventable and the party is calling on the government to take urgent action.

“Behind every number is a person, and behind every life lost is a community left to grieve,” said Valeriote.

The BC Greens are calling for regulated alternatives, low-barrier supervised consumption services, increased treatment, safe, affordable housing, and a government that “treats people who use drugs with respect and dignity, not stigma.”

More than 16,000 people in B.C. have lost their lives to unregulated drugs since a public health emergency was declared in 2016.

Fentanyl continues to be the main driver of drug deaths, with the opioid detected in 68 per cent of expedited testing in 2025.

—With files from The Canadian Press