According to preliminary data, 153 people in July and 149 people in August 2025 died due to unregulated drug toxicity, as reported by the BC Coroners 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 (352 and 321 deaths, respectively) making up 55% of all such deaths during 2025.

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 cocaine (52%) and methamphetamine (52%). With 64% of deaths showing evidence of smoking, it continues to be the most common mode of consumption in 2025.

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:

• youth (19 and younger) suspected drug toxicity deaths between January and August increased from 15 deaths reported in 2024 to 21 reported in 2025;
  • this is similar to the numbers reported during the same period in 2021 (20), 2022 (25) and 2023 (21).
• the number of unregulated drug deaths in July and August 2025 were 4.9 and 4.8 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 are in Northern Health (46 per 100,000); and
• 48% of deaths reported occurred in a private residence, compared with 21% outdoors.

Learn More:

July and August 2025 Drug Toxicity Deaths:
https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiMTAxNDJmM2YtYjMxMS00Yzk5LWFmYTktMzM4ZmE2MzRlYzUxIiwidCI6IjZmZGI1MjAwLTNkMGQtNGE4YS1iMDM2LWQzNjg1ZTM1OWFkYyJ9

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

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

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