Toxic drug deaths in Nanaimo continue to decrease, pacing below 2024

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In total, 1,384 people have died in B.C. this far this year, compared to 2,160 by this time last year.

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Seventy-eight per cent were male, while those between the ages of 30 and 59 made up 69 per cent of all drug-toxicity deaths.

The central and northern Island has some of the highest death rates this year so far by Health Service Delivery Area, along with Vancouver, the Northern Interior, and the Northwest.

Fentanyl and its analogues were the most common substances detected during toxicological testing, found in 84 per cent of those tested.

Suspected drug-toxicity deaths in youths (under 18) continue to rise compared to 2024, with 20 deaths reported so far this year, compared to 17 last year between January and September.

However, it’s still lower than the number of youth deaths in 2021 (22), 2022 (28), and 2023 (22) for the same time period.

Senior-level Island Health officials were recently in front of Nanaimo City Council, calling for their continued support of the Overdose Prevention Site (OPS) on Albert St., detailing why Nanaimo was hit harder by the drug toxicity crisis compared to other areas on the island.

Construction is currently in progress on a Wellness & Recovery Centre located within the same building as the OPS.

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