Unregulated drugs continue to be an issue throughout B.C., with 2024 resulting in 2,253 drug-related deaths throughout the province.
Despite this high number, it's actually a drop in deaths from the 2,578 deaths in 2023, with 2024 being the fewest recorded drug overdoses since 2020.
This downward trend was also reflected in Abbotsford, with this past year resulting in 75 drug-related deaths, which is a significant drop from the 90 that occurred in the year prior, and is also the lowest number of these deaths that the city has had since 2020.
On a per-capita basis, the city had 43.6 deaths for every 100,000 citizens – a nearly 20 per cent drop from 2023.
Minister of Health Josie Osborne said that this number is still way too high and the province will continue to work to bring it down across all B.C. communities.
"Our government is continuing to expand mental-health and addictions care, including early intervention and prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery services, support and complex-care housing, and more," Osborne said. "We know there is still more to do. By working together and continuing to expand life-saving services, more people can find their pathway to recovery."
One of the more recent tactics the province has turned to is the introduction of more substance-use treatment beds.
"These beds are part of a record expansion of mental-health and substance-use care for those who need it most, including underserved groups and those in rural and remote communities," Osborne said.
