It was the deadliest February on record with 155 suspected illicit drug toxicity deaths across British Columbia last month.

It was an increase of 107 per cent compared to the 75 deaths in Feb. 2020, amounting to an average of 5.5 people losing their lives to an overdose each day. February 2021 was also the eleventh consecutive month in which there were more than 100 lives lost in the province.

“The number of deaths due to toxic illicit drugs in February highlights the ongoing critical risk to public health and safety from the illicit drug market,” said Chief Coroner, Lisa Lapointe. “I extend my sincere sympathy to everyone who has lost a beloved family member or friend to substance use.”

So far in 2021, there have been 329 suspected overdose deaths across B.C., with January’s figures updated to show 174 fatal overdoses instead of the previously reported 165.

“The continued tragic and unprecedented rate of death in B.C. highlights the urgent need for a multi-faceted, evidence-based and accessible system of care for those experiencing problematic substance use,” Lapointe added.

There were four suspected overdose deaths in Kamloops this February taking the total on the year to five deaths. That’s after a record 60 deaths in the city last year.

The BC Coroners Service says 15 per cent of the people who’ve died this year have been 60 years of age and older with 40 per cent over the age of 50, a trend that has been observed in older age cohorts over the last several years.

Further, carfentanil, a more lethal analogue of fentanyl, was detected in 18 of the 155 deaths (12 per cent), an increase from the 14 deaths in January, making February the largest monthly figure recorded since April 2019.

“This data emphasizes the alarming increase in the toxicity of the illicit drug supply throughout B.C.,” Lapointe added. “Across the province, the risk of serious harm or death is very real for anyone using a substance purchased from the illicit market. Decisive action is urgently needed to ensure an accessible, regulated safe supply and to provide people with the supervised consumption, treatment and recovery services they need.”

In a statement, Mental Health and Addictions Minister Sheila Malcolmson says the loss of 155 people last month is heartbreaking.

“We know people are hurting now, and we must do more to stop this terrible surge in overdose deaths. Stigma and criminalization are driving people to use alone, and the pandemic is pushing people further into isolation,” she said.

“In 2019, before the pandemic, we brought overdose deaths down for the first time since 2012. According to the BC Centre for Disease Control, our collective efforts to add more supervised consumption services, increased access to naloxone and treatment options made a difference and saved lives. We brought deaths down before and we’ll do it again.”

BC Liberal Critic, Trevor Halford, says the government needs to do more to fix the crisis.

“The addiction crisis is worse than ever under this government and we should be doing everything we can to keep people alive,” he said. “From youth to First Nations communities, people are crying out for this NDP government to provide vulnerable people with the supports they need to prevent more people from falling through the cracks.”

“Once again, we are again calling for John Horgan and the NDP to finally deliver a seamless mental health and addictions system.”

Malcolmson says the government is committed to supporting and separating people from the ‘poisoned drug supply’.

“We are resolved to continue our work to add more treatment and recovery options, more services and supports for communities throughout B.C., and to work with the federal government to move forward on decriminalization,” she said.

“We are going to continue building the culturally safe, evidence-based system of mental health and addictions care people deserve.”