Toxic, unregulated drugs in B.C. have led to two more deaths among Burnaby's community from the month of August.
That's according to the BC Coroners Service's latest report on the public health emergency released on Monday, Sept. 25.
As of Aug. 31, the city's preliminary year-to-date toll is 25 illicit drug overdose deaths — 16 recorded over the summer months.
The number is down 43 per cent from this time in 2022 when 44 local residents died of toxic drug supply.
A total of 69 people died of unregulated drugs in Burnaby from all of last year, which, on record, sits as the municipality's second-highest toll in the last decade.
Burnaby's highest-ever total since 2012 was 81 drug deaths in 2021, which was a 37 per cent increase from 59 in 2020.
'Heartbreaking'
Burnaby's year-to-date total is also part of 116 illicit drug overdose deaths recorded across the Fraser North health service delivery area since Jan. 1, 2023.
However, Burnaby has now seen the fifth fewest unregulated drug deaths "by township of injury" in B.C. for 2023 thus far — well behind urban centres like Vancouver (429), Surrey (156) and Victoria (99).
Across B.C., 1,645 people have passed this year to illicit drugs.
"We are continuing to lose members of our communities in heartbreaking numbers as a result of the toxicity of the illicit drug market," said Lisa Lapointe, chief coroner, in a news release.
"No town, neighbourhood or family is immune from this crisis and as the years of this public-health emergency go by, more and more British Columbians are experiencing the devastating loss of a friend, colleague or family member to the illicit-drug supply."
Lapointe explained smoking is still the most common mode of consumption with nearly 66 per cent of death investigations in 2023 involving those who consumed substances in this manner.
She believes this "further underscores" for safe consumption spaces.
"Improvements in the quality and reach of harm reduction and evidence-based treatment services are essential, as is the critical need to ensure that those at risk of dying can access safer, regulated drugs. If we cannot implement these changes, our loved ones will continue to die."
The province's total for August equated to 5.6 deaths per day, Lapointe noted.
She added the 174 deaths last month were an eight per cent drop from the toll in August 2022 (190) and 14 per cent from July (203).
In 2023 to date, 70 per cent of fatalities were people aged 30 to 59 and 78 per cent of whom identified as male.
