Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, has released the following statement regarding the BC Coroners Service year-end report on illicit drug toxicity deaths:

Preliminary reporting released by the BC Coroners Service confirms that toxic, unregulated drugs claimed the lives of at least 2,511 people in British Columbia in 2023, the largest number of drug-related deaths ever reported to the agency.

Changes to the Residential Tenancy Regulation (RTR) will provide increased safety for staff and tenants living in supportive housing.

Homeowners in designated taxable municipalities covered by the speculation and vacancy tax will soon receive their annual declaration letters, as part of the Province’s work to fight real estate speculation and deliver more homes to people.

People are urged to prepare for extremely cold weather and snow in many communities across British Columbia, starting today and lasting into early next week.

After a warm start to winter across much of the province, British Columbians are encouraged to prepare for colder weather and winter road conditions in the days and weeks ahead.

An innovative approach to data collection and reporting is helping government better understand the underlying factors that lead to homelessness and better support people in finding stable housing and services that meet their needs.

The deaths of at least 342 people experiencing homelessness were reported to the BC Coroners Service in 2022, continuing an increase in deaths among the unhoused population of 138% in the past two years.