New data from the BC Coroners Service shows Burnaby had more illicit drug deaths last year than in 2023.
In 2023, 52 deaths were recorded. Last year, there were 54.
The highest number of deaths in Burnaby was in 2021 when 80 lives were tragically lost.
The agency says there were 2,253 deaths provincially during 2024, a 13 per cent decline compared to 2023 when there were 2,578 recorded.
There have been 16,047 deaths since the province declared a public health emergency in April of 2016.
"This public health emergency touches every corner of our province," Minister of Health Josie Osborne said in a news release.
"Although there is a decrease in deaths, 152 in November 2024 and 147 in December 2024, this in no way diminishes grief that permeates our communities."
The highest number of unregulated drug deaths occurred in Fraser Health and Vancouver Coastal Health (610 and 601), which made up 54 per cent of all illicit drug deaths in 2024.
"The information collected by our coroners during their investigations into unregulated drug toxicity deaths, indicates a decline in fatalities over the last several months of 2024," chief coroner Dr. Jatinder Baidwan said, noting the numbers are consistent with reporting from other jurisdictions in Canada and internationally.
"This doesn't mitigate the fact that 2,253 members of our communities died in 2024, leaving behind grieving loved ones, friends, colleagues and teammates. Our thoughts are with all of those many, many people who have been touched by this crisis," he said.
The highest rates by local health area were Vancouver-Centre North, Lillooet, Greater Campbell River, Terrace and Prince George.
