B.C. has fewest drug deaths for the month of September since 2020

Published 6:30 pm Monday, November 3, 2025

Unregulated drug deaths in B.C. continue the trend of about 25 per cent fewer deaths each month in 2025 than for the same month in 2024, according to the B.C. Coroners Service.

In September, there were 158 unregulated drug deaths, which is the fewest for the month since 2020.

In total so far this year, there have been 1,384 deaths. Last year, as of the end of September, 1,834 deaths had been recorded.

Despite the decreasing numbers, this is still an average of 5.3 deaths per day. The number of deaths among people under 18 is also now higher in 2025 than in 2024 for the months leading up to September, with 20 deaths so far, compared to 17 in 2024.

So far in 2025, 78 per cent of drug toxicity deaths were male, and 69 per cent were between the ages of 30 and 59.

Vancouver had the highest number of deaths with 314, followed by Surrey with 137 and Greater Victoria with 93.

Fentanyl and fentanyl analogues continue to be the most commonly found substances detected in those who have died, and were detected in about 84 per cent.

Smoking is the most common consumption mode, being the method of injection in 65 per cent of cases, followed by nasal insufflation in 11 per cent, injection in 9 per cent and oral in five per cent.

The findings from the Coroners Service are preliminary and subject to change as investigations conclude.