The West Kootenay-Boundary had BC’s highest per capita rate of deaths related to toxic drugs in March.
According to the BC Coroners Service, there were four deaths in our region that month, a rate of 4.6 per 100,000 population. That was the highest of any health subregion in BC, although 10 areas had higher actual numbers of deaths.
In the first three months of the year, which is the latest data available, 14 people died due to drug use in our region, a rate of 64.3 per 100,000. That was the second-highest of the health subregions, behind only Northern Interior, although eight areas had more actual deaths.
Town-by-town breakdowns are only released twice per year, in June and December.
There were no confirmed drug-related deaths in East Kootenay in March, and there have only been five so far in 2026. March was the third time since last October that no drug-related deaths were recorded in East Kootenay.
Province-wide, 135 lives were lost to toxic drugs in March. The coroners service says more than three-quarters were men, and over two-thirds were between the ages of 30 and 59. More than 80 per cent of deaths took place indoors.
