National

Overdose toll hit 198 in January, down 10 percent but over 6 deaths a day

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 29 Feb, 2024 04:58 PM

The overdose death toll in January reached 198 people, down about 10 per cent from the same month last year, but still more than six deaths a day.

The B-C Coroners Service says the majority of those who died were male and the highest death rate was in north and central Vancouver Island and the northern Interior.

More than 14-thousand people have now died since the government declared a public health emergency in April 2016.

Jennifer Whiteside, the minister of mental health and addictions, says the government is strengthen and expanding an entire system of care, and added 117 million dollars in services in the latest budget along with one billion the government committed over three years in last year's budget. (

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Delta Police need help in investigation

Police in Delta are asking for the public's help in their investigation into a crash between motorcycle and white sedan on Sunday. They say the 17-year-old motorcyclist had serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

Delta Police need help in investigation

IHIT identifies victim

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team is identifying the victim in what it has classified as a suspicious death. It says a 58-year-old man was found with serious injuries on Klein Lake Forest Service Road in Egmont on Saturday and while first responders provided first aid, he died of his injuries.

IHIT identifies victim

Gurdwaras call for public inquiry in Nijjar's death

The councils say it is clear, based on public reports, that intelligence agencies were aware of the threat to Nijjar's life, which --quote-- "suggests a concerning failure of Canada's security agencies to prevent a foreseeable violent crime and gives rise to wider concerns within the community."

Gurdwaras call for public inquiry in Nijjar's death

Immigration drives massive Canadian population increase: StatCan

Statistics Canada says immigration is almost solely responsible for the largest annual population boom Canada has seen since 1957. The newly released data shows Canada's population grew by more than a million people between from July 2022 to July 2023, which represents an increase of about three per cent.

Immigration drives massive Canadian population increase: StatCan

B.C. sets housing targets for 10 municipalities, urges immediate federal support

The British Columbia government has set out its first set of targets for thousands of new homes to be built in 10 cities or municipalities in an effort to chip away at the provincial housing crisis. Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon announced Tuesday the communities, located mostly within the Metro Vancouver and Greater Victoria regions, will have five years to deliver on the new housing-unit goals set out in the plan.

B.C. sets housing targets for 10 municipalities, urges immediate federal support

Weather advisories lifted after first B.C. storm of the season

Wind warnings have been lifted in most areas of British Columbia, while high water advisories remain up for Vancouver Island and the southwest coast after the first major storm of the fall swept through. Environment Canada has taken down the wind warnings for coastal B.C. for all areas accept Haida Gwaii, where it says winds of 90 kilometres per hour, gusting to 110, are expected to ease by Tuesday.