As B.C. marks 10 years since toxic drug poisonings were declared a public health emergency, a new report from Fraser Health’s Chief Medical Health Officer reflects on the lives impacted, the progress made over the past decade and the need for continued action to prevent toxic drug poisonings and deaths in the Fraser Health region.

 “We are committed to acting on what we’ve learned from data, emerging evidence and from whose who have lived experiences in our communities,” says Dr. Ingrid Tyler, Chief Medical Health Officer. “While we have made some important progress, we must continue strengthening our response.”

 Over the past decade, more than 5,600 people in the Fraser Health region have lost their lives to toxic drug poisonings, each one a person with family, friends and community. While Fraser Health has maintained the lowest toxic drug death rate among B.C. health authorities, the impact of the toxic drug crisis is profound and ongoing.

 The report  highlights how Fraser Health’s response has evolved since 2016, and underscores the complex factors driving the crisis. These include systemic inequities such as racism, stigma, poverty, housing instability, the ongoing impacts of colonialism, alongside the unpredictability of the unregulated drug supply. 

 That unregulated drug supply remains the key factor driving overdoses in the region. Substances such as fentanyl, benzodiazepines and medetomidine, a veterinary sedative that does not respond to naloxone, are increasingly present, making overdoses more difficult to treat and adding risk even for people using small amounts.

 The report also highlights the populations that continue to be disproportionately affected, including men aged 30 to 59, Indigenous people, people of South Asian descent, people experiencing homelessness, youth and young adults, and those working in the trades and transport industries. 

 For people working in the trades and transport industries, the risk is particularly high. Among deaths where occupation was known, nearly 30 per cent of all toxic drug deaths in the Fraser Health region in 2025 were among people in these industries.

 People experiencing homelessness face some of the greatest risks, with toxic drug poisoning remaining the leading cause of death for this population. Stable housing, paired with health and social supports, is a critical part of prevention and recovery.

 “A housing-first approach that offers immediate, permanent housing without requiring sobriety or completion of a treatment program, paired with wrap-around supports grounded in harm reduction is key to prevention and recovery,” says Dr. Tyler.

 Fraser Health’s Intensive Case Management and Assertive Community Treatment teams are examples of this approach, helping people remain stably housed while addressing complex health and social needs.

 The report also highlights the importance of early support for children and youth. Positive, supportive relationships and safe, stable environments help build resilience and can reduce the risk of substance use later in life. Fraser Health teams are working to support families, strengthen communities and expand access to culturally appropriate care.

 Over the past 10 years, Fraser Health has significantly expanded its response across the full continuum of care. Harm reduction and treatment services – including opioid agonist treatment, Take Home Naloxone, drug checking and supervised consumption and overdose prevention sites – have saved thousands of lives.

 Access to treatment and recovery services has also grown, with more Rapid Access to Addiction Care clinics, withdrawal management services, bed-based programs, Adult Day Evening Weekend (DEW) programs, and community-based supports available closer to home.

 “Preventing avoidable deaths requires coordinated action across many sectors including health, housing, income supports, child and family services, education, justice and municipalities, supported by policy and sustained investment,” says Dr. Tyler. “This is shared work, and progress depends on all of us.”