The Addiction Crisis in Saanich

Saanich is a municipality within the Greater Victoria area of Vancouver Island, served by Island Health (Vancouver Island Health Authority). There is no Saanich-specific overdose death count published by the BC Coroners Service — data is reported at the Greater Victoria level. Greater Victoria recorded 128 toxic drug deaths in 2025, a 29% decline from 166 in 2024, and the first time since 2019 that deaths fell below 130. In 2024, Greater Victoria saw 129 deaths, down 13% from 149 in 2023. Fentanyl and its analogues were a factor in nearly 82% of Island Health region deaths. Despite declining totals, toxic drug poisoning remains the leading cause of unnatural death in the region for people aged 10–59, and youth deaths across BC rose from 21 to 26 in 2025. Saanich Police made youth drug trafficking arrests in May 2025, reflecting ongoing supply-side concerns in the municipality. A local Saanich author released a book in 2026 advocating for a Portuguese decriminalization and treatment model as a response to the ongoing crisis.

Canada recorded approximately 7,560 apparent opioid toxicity deaths in 2023 (Public Health Agency of Canada). British Columbia alone accounted for roughly one-third of that national toll, at 2,511 deaths — the province's highest annual total on record. Nationally, opioid deaths fell 17% in 2024, with BC, Alberta, and Ontario accounting for 80% of all Canadian opioid deaths. BC's 2025 total of ~1,826 deaths represents continued improvement but remains at crisis levels — nearly five people dying daily in the province alone.

01. What is happening in Saanich

Note: City-specific data for Saanich is limited. Figures reflect British Columbia-wide trends.

02. A crisis that did not start this month

British Columbia declared a public health emergency over drug toxicity deaths in April 2016. The province recorded 2,511 deaths in 2023 (a record high), falling to 2,253 in 2024 (a 13% drop, the lowest since 2020) and declining further to approximately 1,826 in 2025 (a 21% drop — the first year since 2020 with fewer than 2,000 deaths). Over the decade since the emergency was declared, more than 18,000 British Columbians have died. Fentanyl and its analogues remain the dominant driver, detected in roughly 69–82% of deaths depending on region and year. Vancouver Island's death rate remains the second highest among BC's five health authority regions at 37.7 per 100,000 in 2025. Unlike Fraser Health and Vancouver Coastal, the Island Health region had not seen a meaningful decline in rates until 2025. The drug supply increasingly involves multiple substances simultaneously — cocaine, amphetamines, and benzodiazepines each appear in over 46% of Island Health deaths.

03. Why is it getting worse?

The toxic drug crisis in Saanich and Greater Victoria is driven by the same forces affecting the rest of BC: the unregulated drug supply is dominated by illicit fentanyl and its analogues (present in ~82% of Island Health deaths), frequently combined with cocaine, methamphetamine, and benzodiazepines — making every use event unpredictable and potentially fatal. Most deaths occur indoors and alone (84% provincially), limiting the window for intervention. Social isolation, housing instability, and mental health co-morbidities are well-established risk factors. The Island Health region had shown a slower decline in death rates than other BC regions through 2024, with northern Vancouver Island seeing increases even as southern areas improved. Youth trafficking (as seen in Saanich in May 2025) reflects ongoing supply-chain activity. Policy debates continue around decriminalization, treatment access, and safe supply — a Saanich author's 2026 book advocates for adopting Portugal's integrated treatment-and-decriminalization model, reflecting community-level engagement with the crisis.

04. Where hope still lives

Communities across British Columbia are responding with naloxone distribution, harm reduction programs, and peer support networks. Every person trained in naloxone use is a potential life saved.

05. In the news

The reporting behind this page:

• Greater Victoria sees sharp decrease in drug-related deaths in 2025Saanich News · 2026-02-19
• Toxic drug deaths in BC down by 21% since this time last yearVictoria Buzz · 2026-02-19
• Island Health saw 343 overdose deaths in 2025: BC CoronersCHEK News · 2026-02-19
• Saanich author sees 'Portuguese approach' as answer to B.C.'s drug crisisVictoria News · 2026-05-24
• Youth Drug Trafficking Investigation Leads to ArrestsSaanich Police Department · 2025-05-15
• B.C. sets grim record with 2,511 toxic drug deaths in 2023CBC News · 2024-01-18