New data from the BC Coroners Service shows four New Westminster lives were lost to unregulated drugs during the first month of 2025.
During 2024, 36 deaths were reported in New West.
Provincially, the BC Coroners Service said 152 people died in January, equating to roughly 4.9 deaths a day.
Preliminary data shows an increase in deaths within the Fraser Health Authority in December 2024 and January 2025.
In January, the health service delivery areas with the highest rates were Vancouver, Fraser East, North Vancouver Island, Northern Interior and Thompson Cariboo-Shuswap.
In unregulated drug deaths for January that have undergone expedited toxicology testing, fentanyl was detected in 77 per cent, methamphetamine in 52 per cent, bromazepam in 46 per cent, desalkylgidazepam in 42 per cent, flurofentanyl in 42 per cent and hydromorphone in 3 per cent.
