VICTORIA – According to preliminary data, 145 people in May and 147 people in June 2025 died due to unregulated drug toxicity, as reported by the BC Coroners Service.

The unregulated drug deaths dashboard includes a new occupation industry page, which includes deaths where occupation industry was known. The two most common industries of current or past employment are trades, transport and equipment operators, and sales and service.

In 2025, deaths among those between the ages of 30 and 59 accounted for 69% of drug-toxicity deaths in the province, and 78% were male.

By health authority, in 2025, the highest number of unregulated drug deaths were in Fraser and Vancouver Coastal Health Authorities (269 and 238 deaths respectively), making up 55% of all such deaths this year.

Fentanyl and its analogues continue to be the most common substance detected in expedited toxicological testing. Decedents who underwent expedited testing in 2025 were found to have fentanyl in their systems (70%), followed by methamphetamine (52%) and cocaine (51%). The number of deaths where carfentanil was detected has increased in recent months.

It is important to note that data from the report is preliminary and subject to change as additional toxicological results are received and investigations conclude.

Additional key findings in 2025 include:

• The number of unregulated drug deaths in May and June were 4.7 and 4.9 deaths per day respectively.
• The cities experiencing the highest number of unregulated drug deaths so far in 2025 are Vancouver, Surrey and Greater Victoria.
• The highest rates of deaths reported were in Northern Health (44 per 100,000).
• Forty-seven per cent of deaths reported occurred in a private residence, compared with 21% outdoors.
• Smoking continues to be the primary mode of consumption of unregulated toxic drugs, with 64% of investigations indicating the decedent smoked their substances.

Learn More:

May and June 2025 drug-toxicity deaths:
https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiOTRlYmI1NzQtZDhiYy00N2EyLTk2YTktMjQwZjRhYjIyMWVjIiwidCI6IjZmZGI1MjAwLTNkMGQtNGE4YS1iMDM2LWQzNjg1ZTM1OWFkYyJ9

Youth unregulated drug-toxicity deaths, 2019-23:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/birth-adoption-death-marriage-and-divorce/deaths/coroners-service/statistical/youth_unregulated_drug_toxicity_deaths_in_bc_2019-2023.pdf

BC Coroners Service Death Review Panel: An Urgent Response to a Continuing Crisis: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/birth-adoption-death-marriage-and-divorce/deaths/coroners-service/death-review-panel/an_urgent_response_to_a_continuing_crisis_report.pdf

B.C. Ministry of Health mental-health and substance-use supports: https://helpstartshere.gov.bc.ca/

BC Centre on Substance Use: https://www.bccsu.ca