BC Coroners Service Shares April 2025 Unregulated Drug-Toxicity Data

The BC Coroners Service has released preliminary figures of those who died because of the unregulated toxic drug crisis for April.

The figures find that 165 people died from unregulated toxic drugs in April.

In 2025, deaths among those between the ages of 30 and 59 accounted for 68% of drug-toxicity deaths in the province, and 77% were male.

April marks a return to more than 160 deaths attributed to unregulated drug toxicity reported to the BC Coroners Service after six consecutive months of reporting fewer than 160 deaths a month.

By health authority in 2025, the highest number of unregulated drug deaths were in Fraser and Vancouver Coastal health authorities, making up 57% of all such deaths.

Consistent with reporting throughout the public-health emergency, fentanyl continues to be the most common substance detected in expedited toxicological testing.

More than three-quarters of those who died were found to have fentanyl in their systems, followed by methamphetamine (51%) and cocaine (48%).

The number of unregulated drug deaths in April equates to approximately 5.5 deaths per day. 47% of deaths reported occurred in a private residence, compared with 21% outdoors.

To learn more, visit Government of British Columbia.