B.C. Drug Toxicity Deaths Decline to Pre-Pandemic Levels
For the first time in five years, annual drug toxicity deaths in British Columbia have dropped below the 2,000 mark, according to preliminary data released by the B.C. Coroners Service. The 2025 figures show 1,826 fatalities due to unregulated drug overdoses, representing a significant 21 per cent decrease from the 2,315 deaths recorded in 2024.
Historical Context and Recent Trends
This decline marks a notable shift since 2020, when deaths first surged above 2,000 during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2016, considered the onset of the province's drug crisis, there were 957 such deaths. The numbers peaked at 2,589 in 2023 before beginning to recede. Over the past decade, the cumulative total has reached 18,241 lives lost to drug toxicity in B.C.
The most recent months of 2025 saw 136 suspected unregulated drug deaths in November and 141 in December, averaging approximately 4.5 fatalities per day. Demographically, individuals aged 30 to 59 accounted for 69 per cent of the deaths, with 77 per cent of decedents being male.
Geographic and Substance Breakdown
Regionally, the highest rates of drug toxicity deaths occurred in Vancouver-Centre North, Lillooet, Greater Campbell River, Terrace, and Vancouver-City Centre. When analyzed by health authority, Fraser and Vancouver Coastal Health Authorities together represented 56 per cent of all deaths, with 533 and 484 fatalities respectively.
Nearly half of these deaths—48 per cent—took place in private residences, while only 20 per cent occurred outdoors. The substances most frequently involved remained consistent with previous years:
- Fentanyl and analogues: Present in 69 per cent of cases
- Fluorofentanyl: Detected in 54 per cent
- Cocaine: Found in 53 per cent
- Methamphetamine: Present in 52 per cent
Consumption Methods and Affected Populations
Smoking was the most common mode of drug consumption at 65 per cent, followed by nasal insufflation (11 per cent), injection (9 per cent), and oral ingestion (4 per cent). Among younger victims, 26 youth aged 18 and under died from toxicity in 2025, a slight increase from the 21 reported in 2024.
The employment backgrounds of those who died continued to show concentration in specific sectors. The two most common industries for current or past employment were trades, transport, and equipment operators, along with sales and service occupations.
Policy Context and Future Implications
This data release comes as the provincial government allowed its three-year drug decriminalization pilot program, initiated in 2023, to expire at the end of January without renewal. The decrease in deaths suggests potential impacts of various public health interventions, though experts caution that the crisis remains severe.
The B.C. Coroners Service emphasizes that these figures are preliminary and subject to revision as additional toxicology reports are completed. Public health officials continue to monitor trends closely, working to implement strategies that address the complex factors driving substance-related fatalities across the province.
