Close X
Friday, November 29, 2024
ADVT 
National

Death toll among B.C.'s homeless rising, hits 342 people last year: Coroner's report

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 14 Dec, 2023 03:00 PM
  • Death toll among B.C.'s homeless rising, hits 342 people last year: Coroner's report

British Columbia's Coroners Service says there's been a sharp increase in deaths among people experiencing homelessness. 

A statement from the coroners service says the deaths of 342 people experiencing homelessness were reported last year, an increase of almost 140 over the past two years. 

The coroners service says there were 1,464 deaths of people who were homeless in B.C. in the period between 2015 and 2022, averaging about 183 deaths per year.

Most of those deaths were in Vancouver, Victoria and Surrey, B.C., and 82 per cent of them were male. 

However, the coroners service says the number of deaths has spiked significantly above the average between 2021 and 2022.

The service says the toxic drug supply has significantly contributed to the increase, with more than eight of every 10 deaths in the review classified as accidental. 

MORE National ARTICLES

Charges for man in Vancouver shooting

Charges for man in Vancouver shooting
Charges of attempted murder and aggravated assault have been laid against a 41-year-old man after a shooting earlier this year in downtown Vancouver. A statement from Vancouver police says the man is also facing a firearms offence and remains in custody, awaiting a court date early next week.

Charges for man in Vancouver shooting

Jobless rate on the rise in Canada

Jobless rate on the rise in Canada
Statistics Canada says unemployment continues to nudge upward across the country, rising to 5.7 per cent last month -- up two-tenths of a point since September. The increase is the fourth in the last six months and comes despite the addition of 18-thousand jobs.

Jobless rate on the rise in Canada

Trudeau in D.C. to talk hemispheric trade, migration at White House summit

Trudeau in D.C. to talk hemispheric trade, migration at White House summit
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is in the U.S. capital today to represent Canada at the inaugural Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity summit.  The White House meeting, hosted by President Joe Biden, marks the first official gathering of all 12 countries in the hemispheric trade framework. 

Trudeau in D.C. to talk hemispheric trade, migration at White House summit

Canadians still not cleared to leave Gaza, Blair says movement likely in coming days

Canadians still not cleared to leave Gaza, Blair says movement likely in coming days
Canadians could be allowed to leave the Gaza Strip in "the coming days," Defence Minister Bill Blair said Friday, but shared no firm timeline as Canadians faced another day of being left off the list. Groups of people, including foreign nationals from several other countries, have been allowed to exit the Palestinian territory through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt in the last two days.

Canadians still not cleared to leave Gaza, Blair says movement likely in coming days

Surrey RCMP need public's help in locating missing man Balraj Dhanoa

Surrey RCMP need public's help in locating missing man Balraj Dhanoa
Surrey RCMP is requesting the public’s assistance in locating a missing male. On Thursday, Nov 2nd, Balraj Dhanoa was reported missing. He was last seen at approximately 3pm on Thursday in the 14800 block of Fraser Highway, in Surrey.

Surrey RCMP need public's help in locating missing man Balraj Dhanoa

4 people arrested in drugs seizure

4 people arrested in drugs seizure
Mounties in North Vancouver say officers arrested four people and seized large amounts of illicit marijuana and psilocybin -- also known as magic mushrooms --following a report of a kidnapping at a warehouse earlier this week. The R-C-M-P say they received a report that a man was being held at the warehouse after being kidnapped at gunpoint Tuesday afternoon.  

4 people arrested in drugs seizure