The B.C. Coroners Service has released its January report on drug toxicity deaths, showing 29 deaths on Vancouver Island during the first month of 2026.
The data shows nine deaths in southern Vancouver Island, 17 in central Vancouver Island and three in the north.
The report also includes finalized data from 2025, which shows nine deaths in Powell River and 11 across the rest of the Sunshine Coast last year.
There were 150 deaths across B.C. in January as the province approaches the 10-year anniversary of declaring a public health emergency in response to toxic drugs.
“Fentanyl and its analogues continue to be identified in a significant majority of deaths, with nearly eight in every 10 tests returning positive results,” said a statement from the coroners.
Localized data from the B.C. Coroners Service is available here.
– Article includes files from B.C. Coroners Service via Province of British Columbia
