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Inmate deaths in B.C. prisons have risen to a 10-year high, says a new report from the B.C. Coroners Service.
The service says there were 25 inmate deaths reported at federal and provincial correctional facilities in B.C. in 2023 — higher than the 10-year average of 17 deaths.
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Between 2013 and 2023, there were 188 inmate deaths in the province.
Of those, 60 per cent, or 113 deaths, occurred at federal prisons, with Pacific Institution in Abbotsford recording the highest number of deaths (64), followed by Mission Institution (15) and Matqui and Mountain institutions (11 each).
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There were 75 deaths recorded at provincial facilities. Out of nine facilities, the North Fraser Pretrial Centre reported the highest number of deaths (23) followed by the Surrey Pretrial Service Centre (20).
In deaths where investigations or inquests were conducted, 60 per cent were classified as natural and 18 per cent were accidental, about 70 per cent of which were due to drug toxicity. About 15 per cent were classified as suicide, four per cent homicide, and three per cent undetermined.
The count excludes deaths in halfway houses or in police custody, such as in police cells and at the forensic psychiatric hospital, said the service.
Correctional Service Canada issues a news release when an inmate dies in federal custody after next of kin has been notified, but does not provide details on the cause of death.
A death due to non-natural causes triggers a four-panel board that investigates the facts and circumstances of the death.
In B.C., a death of an inmate in a provincial jail automatically launches an investigation by the Coroners Service.
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