Victoria has seen some of the highest numbers of deaths of unhoused people in B.C. and is part of a surge across the province, says a new report by the BC Coroners Service.
During the period studied, 2015-22, there were 1,464 deaths involving individuals identified as experiencing homelessness in British Columbia, equating to an average of 183 deaths per year. There was a significant increase from this average in 2021 and 2022.
The cities with the highest number of deaths between 2015 and 2022 were Vancouver (306), Surrey (146) and Victoria (118), said a news release from the province. Almost three-quarters (74 per cent) of decedents were aged between 30 and 59, and 82 per cent were male.
The deaths of at least 342 people experiencing homelessness were reported to the BC Coroners Service in 2022, continuing an increase in deaths among the unhoused population of 138 per cent in the past two years, said the report.
“Because housing data was unavailable at the time of analysis, rates of death and any possible correlation between deaths and the number of people experiencing homelessness in the province could not be determined,” said a news release. “Just as it has across all demographics and in communities throughout B.C., the toxic drug supply has significantly contributed to the increased number of deaths among people who are precariously housed or experiencing homelessness. More than eight out of every 10 deaths in the review period were classified as accidental, and of those accidental deaths, more than nine in 10 were determined to have been caused by unregulated drugs.”
For the purposes of the report, an individual experiencing homelessness was defined as a person living outdoors, in a make-shift shelter, a parked vehicle, a vacant home or any other structure not intended for habitation or a person staying at an emergency shelter (overnight) or who is temporarily sheltered (suspected to be for less than 30 days) by friends or family, in a short-term shelter, safe house for youth or transition house for women and children fleeing violence.
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