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B.C. toxic drug deaths down about 19% in September compared with 2025, coroner’s service says

B.C. toxic drug deaths down about 19% in September compared with 2025, coroner’s service says

British Columbia saw 133 toxic drug deaths in September, about 19% fewer than the same month in 2025, according to the BC Coroners Service.

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Toxic drug deaths in British Columbia fell in September, with the BC Coroners Service reporting 133 deaths from suspected unregulated drug toxicity.

That figure is down about 19% from September 2025, and works out to a rate of roughly 4.4 deaths per day.

The September death toll of 133 also marks an increase from 113 deaths reported in both May and July this year.

Even with that rise, the service says September represents the lowest numbers of monthly fatalities in B.C. since 2019.

From January to September, B.C. recorded 1,143 toxic drug deaths, down 40% compared with the same months in 2023, which the service identifies as the peak of the crisis.

The BC Coroners Service reported that the Fraser and Vancouver Coastal health authority areas account for the highest totals this year, with 311 and 298 deaths respectively—together making up 53% of all toxic drug deaths in B.C.

The most common substances identified in expedited toxicological testing included fluorofentanyl, found in 68% of cases, along with cocaine at 55% and methamphetamine at 53%.

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