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Seven of 247 homeless deaths in B.C. recorded in 2021 were from Chilliwack

‘Report report reflects the risks and realities that people experiencing homelessness face every day’
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Seven of 247 homeless deaths in B.C. in 2021 were from Chilliwack. (Black Press file)

The deaths of seven homeless people in Chilliwack were among 247 such fatalities recorded across B.C. in 2021.

That number put Chilliwack in eighth place in the province, according to the BC Coroners Service report on accidental deaths of homeless individuals, by township of injury.

“This report reflects the risks and realities that people experiencing homelessness face every day,” said Lisa Lapointe, chief coroner, BC Coroners Service when the numbers were released on Oct. 12. “We know that many are facing significant health concerns, including physical disabilities, mental-health challenges and substance-use issues.”

The report underlined that the 247 deaths in 2021 was an increase of 75 per cent over the year before.

RELATED: 75% spike in deaths of unhoused

Chilliwack’s total of seven fatalities was on a par with Burnaby, which also reported seven deaths among those experiencing homelessness in 2021.

To compare further, Kamloops had five, while Abbotsford for example recorded 14 deaths.

BC Coroners Service data on accidental deaths of homeless individuals in 2021. (BC Coroners Service graphic)
BC Coroners Service data on accidental deaths of homeless individuals in 2021. (BC Coroners Service graphic)

About three-quarters of the total deaths were accidental, and of that number 87 per cent were caused by “illegal drug toxicity” which is a coroner’s terminology for drug overdose.

Although there is no way to identify the seven who died while unhoused in Chilliwack, Griffin Security owner Brian Goldstone, distinctly remembers three of the people — because he was there.

“We knew two of the three,” Goldstone said.

They had been given one or more doses of naloxone, sometimes called Narcan, one of the brand names, to bring them back from an overdose incident.

“It really is a shame because we get to know these guys. It hurts when you can’t bring them back either.” Goldstone said, adding some of the newer batches of street drugs do not respond to the overdose meds, “or because we were just too far behind.”

It’s hard to be the lone witnesses.

“It’s heartbreaking. A lot them are super smart, who just got into drugs for other reasons. You have to remember that no one sets out to be homeless.”

The Oct. 12 report from the Coroners Service on the number of homeless deaths points to “significant risks” associated with toxic drugs, and was issued during Homelessness Action Week.

The victims were mostly between 30 and 59, and male. More than half of the investigated deaths occurred in either the Fraser Health (32%) or Vancouver Coastal (25%).

In 2021, 93% of all accidental deaths among people experiencing homelessness were identified as being caused by the illicit drug supply.

From 2012-2021, 87% of all accidental deaths were suspected illicit drug toxicity deaths. The percentage of accidental illicit drug toxicity deaths among individuals experiencing homelessness remained high in 2021 at 93% (Fig. 6).

RELATED: Bad start to 2022 in terms of toxic drug deaths in Chilliwack

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Jennifer Feinberg

About the Author: Jennifer Feinberg

I have been a Chilliwack Progress reporter for 20+ years, covering the arts, city hall, as well as Indigenous, and climate change stories.
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