The BC Coroners Service says 206 people died of drug overdose in April 2023.
The deaths add to a grim tally of 814 fatalities recorded in the first four months of the year, including 31 in Kamloops, 29 in Kelowna, 11 in Vernon and six in Penticton.
Fentanyl was detected in approximately 80% of the deaths, often in combination with other substances.
As well, benzodiazepines, a class of sedatives that does not react to the live-saving drug naloxone is also more prevalent.
Lisa Lapointe, the chief coroner, emphasized that illicit fentanyl remains the leading and deadliest contributor to British Columbia's public health emergency caused by drug toxicity.
"Cocaine, methamphetamines and/or benzodiazapines are also often present. This drug poisoning crisis is the direct result of an unregulated drug market. Members of our communities are dying because non-prescribed, non-pharmaceutical fentanyl is poisoning them on an unprecedented scale," stated Lisa Lapointe.
Jennifer Charlesworth, B.C.'s representative for children and youth, stated that there is no evidence indicating that diverted safer supply has played a role in the drug-related injuries and deaths of young people reported to her office, pushing back on recent media reports.
"Based on the reports of critical injuries and deaths that my office reviews every month, we have not seen any indication that youth are using from diverted supply," said Charlesworth.
"The injuries and deaths reported to us are as a result of youth accessing the illicit supply and they are typically using an array of substances. Through our advocacy work and in-depth reviews, young people are advising us that they are accessing an illicit supply in order to cope with the trauma that they are dealing with in their lives."
April 2023 marked the 31st consecutive month with a death toll surpassing 150 due to unregulated drugs in B.C., and the 13th month recording over 200 deaths.
The total number of deaths in April translates to an average of approximately 6.9 lives lost every day.
