The B.C. Coroner is reporting that across the province there has been a 138 per cent increase in deaths of homeless people from 2020, with 64 deaths occurring in Island Health.
In 2022, the latest year the coroner is reporting on, 342 homeless people died across the province, up from 144 in 2020. This is a 28 per cent increase from 267 in 2021.
For the purpose of the data, the coroner considers homeless people to be those who live outdoors or in any structure not intended for habitation, or a person staying in an emergency shelter. The numbers do not include those living in correctional institutions, hospitals, drug or alcohol treatment facilities, or those at “high risk” of homelessness.
The coroner says deaths of homeless people are more likely to occur in the fall (27 per cent) and winter (26 per cent).
Men (82 per cent) made up most of the deaths.
Between 2015 and 2022, 81 per cent of the deaths were considered accidental, 11 per cent as natural and five per cent were suicides.
Unregulated drug toxicity deaths made up the majority of accidental deaths, accounting for 93 per cent of accidental deaths.
In 2022, Victoria had the third highest number of deaths in the province (118) behind Vancouver (306) and Surrey (146).
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Laura Brougham
