Six more people died from a drug overdose in Prince George during September according to data released by the BC Coroners Service.
Through the first nine months of this year, the northern capital has tallied 39 overdose fatalities.
Northern Health recorded 12 illicit drug deaths in September and are now up to 106 for 2025.
Our health authority continues to have the highest rate of drug overdose deaths in the province at 47 deaths per 100,000 people, nine points higher than Interior Health.
Province-wide, 158 people lost their lives due to toxic drugs in September – that equates to over five deaths per day on average.
By health authority in 2025, the highest number of unregulated drug deaths were in Fraser and Vancouver Coastal health authorities (406 and 366 deaths, respectively) making up 56% of all fatalities.
In terms of Health Service Delivery Area, the Northern Interior, which includes PG-Quesnel-Burns Lake, and the Robson Valley has the second-highest drug toxicity death rate of 51.0 – trailing only Vancouver (53.1).
A new occupation industry page has been added to the data pack by the Coroners Service.
The two most common industries of current and past employment were trades, transport and equipment operations as well as sales and service.
In Northern Health, 15% of all drug overdose fatalities by occupation were in trades, transport and equipment operators followed by natural resources and agriculture (9%) and sales and service (8%).
Unregulated drug toxicity is the leading cause of death for people in British Columbia between the ages of 10 and 59, and accounts for more deaths than homicides, suicides, accidents, and natural disease combined.
The Coroner’s Service is also noting an uptick on youth overdose deaths with 20 taking place between January and September – just 17 were reported during the same period in 2024.
Throughout the first nine months of 2025, toxic drugs have claimed the lives of 1,384 people in BC – last year, the final tally was 2,315.
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