Fraser Valley/Vancouver (with files from BC Coroner/Canadian Press) – Just before Christmas of 2023, Ruth and Naomi’s and Ann Davis Society, held a vigil in Downtown Chilliwack to honour the homeless who died on the streets. Some from overdoses and others from exposure.
Over two dozen names were read out loud at that vigil outside of Cheam View United Church.
On January 18, the British Columbia’s Coroners Service reported the outdoor deaths of 36 people during the early days of January when the province was in the grip of a record-breaking cold snap.
The bulk of the deaths were adults in their 30s.
Coroners Service data for the days from Jan. 1 to 16 show the highest number of people dying on January 12, a day when numerous low temperature records were broken across BC.
The coroners service says this year’s outdoor deaths, which are still under investigation, include those that occur in public spaces, on streets or sidewalks, in parking lots, parks, trails and campgrounds.
Late last year, the coroners service reported more than 600 people experiencing homelessness in B.C. died in 2021 and 2022, a sharp increase in the annual average of 183 deaths.
FVN received some basic numbers regarding the Fraser Valley:
