The latest preliminary BC Coroners Service (BCCS) report says four Kootenay residents died from drug poisoning in April.
According to the BCCS, two people died in both the East Kootenay and the Kootenay-Boundary regions during the month.
Across the province, 165 people died from unregulated toxic drugs in April.
BCCS officials say this marks the first time in the last six months when more than 160 deaths were reported in one month.
So far in 2025, five people died in the East Kootenay and six were killed in the Kootenay Boundary. Nelson leads the region with four fatalities, followed by Cranbrook with three.
Paulette Sutherland, ANKORS Team Lead and Moving Mountains Community Action Team Coordinator, says harm reduction plays a vital role in reducing the number of drug deaths.
“The biggest way we can prevent these deaths is through our robust drug-checking program, which is funded through Interior Health,” said Sutherland.
“It’s an incredible program that’s based on building relationships with the people who need to have their samples tested the most.”
Sutherland says peer support can also make a significant difference.
“The folks who have come in and accessed our services have saved thousands of lives. They do this through being together, taking care of each other, making sure they have naloxone kits and encouraging each other to get their drug checked,” explained Sutherland.
“I think these stats are likely impacted by the champions on the street, which are the peers.”
Drug users are urged to take precautions and use their available resources and assistance.
“We’re encouraging people not to use alone at home. If you do, let someone else know and have a naloxone kit,” said Sutherland.
“We encourage people to have some kind of buddy system when they’re using. We are extremely concerned for people’s safety. We’re offering drug-checking services. It’s free and confidential.”
BCCS officials say over three-quarters of expedited testing results in 2025 were found to have fentanyl in their systems (68 per cent), followed by methamphetamine (51 per cent) and cocaine (48 per cent).
“Consistent with reporting throughout the public-health emergency, fentanyl and its analogues continue to be the most common substance detected in expedited toxicological testing,” said the BCCS.
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