Close X
Thursday, November 14, 2024
ADVT 
National

B.C. on pace for deadliest year in drug crisis as July brings another 198 deaths

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 29 Aug, 2023 01:48 PM
  • B.C. on pace for deadliest year in drug crisis as July brings another 198 deaths

British Columbia is on pace for the deadliest year in its unregulated toxic-drug crisis, with the BC Coroners Service saying another 198 deaths were reported in July.

It says there have been at least 1,455 deaths in the first seven months of 2023, the most ever recorded.

Fifty-six per cent of deaths this year have occurred in the Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health authorities, but the coroners service says Northern Health continues to have the highest per-capita toxic-drug death rate at 59.8 per 100,000 residents.

Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe says in a statement that the unregistered illicit drug market is "highly unpredictable," and the lack of access to stable, lower-risk alternatives continues to put lives at risk.

Provincial Mental Health and Addictions Minister Jennifer Whiteside says in a statement the new numbers are "a stark reminder" of the ongoing drug crisis, and the province is continuing to expand access to treatment options and counselling.

Opposition BC United MLA Elenore Sturko says in a post on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, that "condolences alone aren't enough" and she is calling for a "recovery-oriented" care system.

She says a third of the province's fatal overdoses in July happened inside social housing, shelters and hotels.

MORE National ARTICLES

Eight skunks found dead in B.C. had avian flu

Eight skunks found dead in B.C. had avian flu
British Columbia's Ministry of Agriculture says the skunks were infected with the same H5N1 strain that has caused the deaths of millions of domestic poultry since the outbreak began in April last year. The skunks were found in residential areas in both cities and were taken to B.C.'s Animal Health Centre over concerns they may have been deliberately poisoned.

Eight skunks found dead in B.C. had avian flu

Water taxi crash in B.C. prompts report's caution

Water taxi crash in B.C. prompts report's caution
A report from the board says four of the five people aboard the Rocky Pass were injured when the boat came to an abrupt stop on the rocks on Jan. 25, 2022. The operator, who had 20 years of experience captaining the taxi, was using GPS in very foggy conditions when the navigation device froze.

Water taxi crash in B.C. prompts report's caution

House in Maple Ridge hit by gunfire

House in Maple Ridge hit by gunfire
According to Mounties, one residence in the area was hit by gunfire. The residence was occupied at the time of the incident but no gunshot injuries occurred. The victims are cooperating with the police investigation. 

House in Maple Ridge hit by gunfire

Dead body of a woman found inside a tent in the Downtown Eastside

Dead body of a woman found inside a tent in the Downtown Eastside
The cause of death remains under investigation. Evidence indicates the woman died prior to the fire starting. Vancouver Police are working with the BC Coroners Service to identify the woman.

Dead body of a woman found inside a tent in the Downtown Eastside

More snow brings warnings for some B.C. highways

More snow brings warnings for some B.C. highways
Environment Canada says anywhere from 15 to 25 centimetres is expected at higher elevations of the passes north and east of Hope by Tuesday morning. Up to 15 centimetres of snow is forecast along the Sea-to-Sky Highway between Squamish and Whistler, but the weather office says conditions there should ease by later in the day.

More snow brings warnings for some B.C. highways

Four of Flair Airlines leased aircraft seized

Four of Flair Airlines leased aircraft seized
Flair Airlines says passengers were "impacted" after four of its leased aircraft were seized in Toronto, Edmonton and Waterloo, Ont., in what the company is calling a "commercial dispute." Flair issued a statement on Saturday calling the move by "a New York-based hedge fund" to take the aircraft "extreme and unusual."    

Four of Flair Airlines leased aircraft seized