Image: The Canadian Press
DRUG POISONING

Chilliwack sees 17 toxic drug deaths to April 2025, more than double from April 2024

Jun 28, 2025 | 12:13 PM

CHILLIWACK — The latest data from the BC Coroners Service (BCCS) shows the number of drug poisoning deaths in Abbotsford and Chilliwack has not moved from the same time last year, but the exact breakdown did shift around.

Both cities had a total of 44 toxic drug fatalities from January to April 2025. Abbotsford saw 27 deaths, down by nine (25%) from last year. Chilliwack, on the other hand, had 17 drug deaths – an increase of nine (112%) from the first four months of 2024.

An additional six deaths occurred in Hope, Mission and Agassiz-Harrison this year. A total of 165 people were lost to unregulated drug poisoning across B.C. in that period.

“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,” wrote the BCCS.

“[T]he highest number of unregulated drug deaths were in Fraser and Vancouver Coastal health authorities (185 and 155 deaths, respectively) making up 57% of all such deaths during 2025.”

Forty-seven per cent of all deaths reported were in a private home, with another 21 per cent being found outdoors. Fentanyl continues to be the main driver of drug-related fatalities as of April 2025.

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