The number of people in Nanaimo who died in February due to toxic illicit drugs was 15, tying the record for most lives lost in a single month to drug-related fatalities. (Pikist)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

more lives lost

Nanaimo ties record for monthly fatalities linked to drug toxicity

Apr 5, 2024 | 5:02 PM

NANAIMO — The grips of a continuing toxic drug crisis shows no signs of slowing down locally.

New data from the BC Coroners Service (BCCS) released Friday, April 5, showed 15 people died in Nanaimo in February 2024, tying a record from a year previous for the highest number of toxic drug-related fatalities in a single calendar month.

It’s up from the 13 people who lost their life in January and puts Nanaimo behind only Vancouver and Surrey for total number of deaths linked to the ongoing epidemic in 2024.

“Toxicological testing continues to reflect a volatile and inconsistent drug supply throughout B.C. As has been the case throughout the toxic-drug crisis, fentanyl and/or one of its analogues has been identified in about eight out of every 10 test results in 2024,” a BCCS statement read.

Tests are also revealing toxic drugs are often found in connection with other substances such as cocaine and methamphetamine.

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Forty-three people have already lost their lives to illicit drug use across the central Vancouver Island region, an area encompassing Oceanside, Port Alberni, Tofino and Ucluelet, among other communities.

While still very early in 2024, both Nanaimo and central Island areas are on pace to again lose more lives than ever before as a result of the tainted drug crisis.

Last year saw 116 deaths in Nanaimo and 211 across the central Island region, numbers which comfortably eclipsed records set a year prior.

Provincially, 177 people died as a result of toxic drugs in February.

It represents an 11 per cent decrease from February 2023 and a 20 per cent drop from January.

A majority of victims, 70 per cent, were men while a majority of the deceased were aged 30 to 59.

Nearly 80 per cent of all drug-related fatalities in the first two months of the year occurred inside a home, shelter or hotel.

Only 13 per cent of the deaths were listed as occurring “outside” by the BCCS.

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