iN NUMBERS: Fewer overdose deaths to start the year in B.C.

The BC Coroners Service reported a downturn in overdose deaths from illicit drug use to start the year, at least compared to the years following the pandemic.

Statistics tend to fluctuate but for the past few years the numbers have been trending downwards.

This isn’t a crisis that can be reduced to numbers, but they can help show some progress.

Here are the numbers:

• 150: Drug deaths were reported in B.C. in January this year, which is down from 167 in January last year and 219 in January 2024.
• 1,833: Drug deaths were reported in B.C. in 2025, which is down from the peak of 2,590 in 2023.
• 11: Drug deaths have been reported in Kelowna in 2026 so far.
• 7: Drug deaths per month was the average for Kelowna in 2025.
• 20: Drug deaths were reported in Kelowna in 2015.
• 2: Drug deaths have been reported in Kamloops in 2026 so far.
• 4.5: Drug deaths per month was the average for Kamloops in 2025.
• 29: Drug deaths were reported by Interior Health in January 2026.
• 3.4: That was the drug deaths per 100,000 people in the Interior Health region in January. Northern Health was the only health authority with a higher drug death rate.
• 5: Per cent of B.C.’s drug deaths in 2025 happened in Kelowna.
• 3: Per cent of B.C.’s drug deaths in 2025 happened in Kamloops.
• 1: Per cent of B.C.’s drug deaths in 2025 happened in Vernon.
• 1: Per cent of B.C.’s drug deaths in 2025 happened in Penticton.
• 31: Per cent of people killed by drugs in the Interior are women, which is higher than the provincial average of 20 per cent.