Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, has released the following statement about the BC Coroners Service report on illicit drug toxicity deaths in July 2024:

Updated reporting from the BC Coroners Service about unregulated drug toxicity deaths indicates at least 192 people died in July 2024.

Following two summers marked by a surge in highway fatalities, the B.C. government is taking action to make roads safer and place higher penalties on those who drive dangerously.

Families and people will soon have more multi-bedroom apartment options available to them, thanks to changes to the BC Building Code (BCBC) allowing single egress stair (SES) designs in low- and mid-rise buildings.

It will be another busy long weekend on British Columbia highways and motorists are urged to stay alert and drive safely. 

The provincial government’s Columbia River Treaty team will host a public virtual information session about the recent agreement-in-principle (AIP) reached between Canada and the United States to modernize the Columbia River Treaty.

People are urged to continue to use caution and remain vigilant to prevent human-caused fires when enjoying the outdoors this Labour Day long weekend.

Recruitment and training initiatives are underway for the coming school year to get more certified teachers into B.C. classrooms and build B.C.’s K-12 workforce.

The Province is tying the annual allowable rent increase in 2025 to inflation at 3%, down from this year’s allowable increase of 3.5%.

Police in B.C. will soon have more tools to enhance their efforts in protecting children online and strengthen abilities to pursue, disrupt and prosecute offenders.