Fraser Health marks decade of toxic drug crisis in the region
5,600 overdose deaths recorded since 2016; nearly a third of 2025 victims had homes and stable jobs.
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The toxic drug public health emergency in the Fraser Health region has claimed at least 5,600 lives over the past decade, according to a new report released Sunday, June 14.
The Chief Medical Health Officer's report—titled "Ten years since the declaration of the toxic drug public health emergency"—reveals that street drug overdoses have been the driving force. A striking finding: when occupations were known, almost a third of those who died in 2025 had homes and well-paying jobs, working in trades or transportation.
The unregulated drug supply remains the primary factor driving overdoses. Drugs like fentanyl, benzodiazepines, and medetomidine—a veterinary sedative that doesn't respond to naloxone—are increasingly present, making overdoses harder to treat even when users consume small amounts.
Men aged 30 to 59, people of South Asian descent, Indigenous people, youth, and homeless individuals are disproportionately affected. The Fraser Health region is home to about 75 percent of British Columbia's South Asian population, with Delta accounting for 26 percent.
Despite the grim toll, harm reduction and treatment services have shown impact. Between 2019 and 2025, approximately 13,700 people were saved from fatal overdoses through take-home naloxone, opioid substitutes, and overdose prevention sites. The health authority has expanded access to rapid-access addiction clinics, withdrawal management, and housing-first programs paired with wrap-around supports.