Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

Homeless deaths hit record high

More people died homeless in British Columbia in 2015 than in any year on record, prompting an advocacy group to call for a death-review panel by the provincial coroners service.

More people died homeless in British Columbia in 2015 than in any year on record, prompting an advocacy group to call for a death-review panel by the provincial coroners service.

At least 70 homeless people died in 2015, more than one person per week and an increase of 56 per cent from the 45 deaths recorded the year before, say officials of Megaphone, a non-profit organization. This is the third year the group has issued a report on homeless deaths based on data from the B.C. Coroners Service.

The previous high was 50 deaths in 2008.

“A good portion of the spike was related to poisoning by alcohol and/or drugs, but we don’t know what those are,” said executive director Jessica Hannon, noting 2015 marked the start of the opioid overdose crisis. “If that’s related, I’m scared to see what the number of deaths will be for 2016.”

Megaphone is calling for the death-review panel to provide more data on who is dying, where and how can be collected and acted upon. “The panel will be able to make recommendations to address these issues. Though we know ending homelessness will do that, too,” Hannon said.

The coroners service said a review panel focused on those who are homeless is not currently planned. However, the office “continually evaluates death trends across the province and a panel on this category of death may be considered in the future.”

Between 2007 and 2015, 43 deaths of homeless people were recorded within the City of Victoria’s boundaries, 81 in Vancouver, 11 in Campbell River, six in Duncan and nine in Nanaimo.

“The situation in smaller communities is really serious — many small communities on the Island and elsewhere don’t have adequate health, shelter and support services for people experiencing homelessness in their communities,” said Aurora Tejeida, Megaphone’s communications co-ordinator. “This is not at all just a big-city problem or a Vancouver problem, but a serious issue all over B.C.”

Being homeless is dangerous to people’s health, added Hannon, calling the numbers “a drastic undercount” because the B.C. Coroners Service does not count individuals in institutions or temporarily renting a motel room as homeless. There is no agency tracking all homeless deaths, she said.

Deaths that must be reported to the coroner include all non-natural deaths and all sudden and unexpected deaths where the person was not under the care of a physician.

According to a February coroners report on homeless deaths, people are considered homeless if their address was given as “no fixed address,” they were staying in a homeless shelter or if circumstances of death suggested homelessness. People in prison, renting motels, in hospitals or addiction treatment centres were not included.

It is not always possible to determine a person’s housing status, the report said. “As such, data may be under-reported.”

Of 363 official deaths from 2007-2015 among B.C. homeless people, 34 per cent were staying an emergency or temporary shelters, with friends or family or in transition or youth safe houses.

Fifty-three per cent lived outdoors or in makeshift shelters or cars.

On the Island, the highest number of deaths among homeless people was recorded at 14 in 2007. There were 13 deaths recorded in 2015. Recent deaths include a Victoria man who sold magazines for Megaphone in Vancouver and died in December behind the Commercial Drive pasta shop where he slept in the winter.

“Michael was a kind, brilliant educated person. He had been married, had a child and over a period of time just transitioned to the streets,” said his brother David, who did not want to use their last name.

“Through this process understanding my brother’s death, I’ve met people in his community, homeless, shopkeepers, the church, Megaphone, who are the silent angels helping each other. We need more compassion like this.”

Victoria lost several well-known homeless people in the past few months. Memorials for each drew dozens.

Dave Armitage, known as Mayor Dave around Gorge Park, was found dead there on Dec. 28. The 58-year-old’s death sparked discussion about how to best help those with mental-health issues who are homeless and choose to be outdoors.

Peter Verin, 71, spent decades talking philosophy and recycling at the University of Victoria. He slept outdoors near Quadra Street and McKenzie Avenue, but died in hospital on Jan. 12.

Don Catterall, 52, died in March from an overdose; fentanyl was detected. He was a regular fixture at the James Bay Plaza and knew many in the neighbourhood.

spetrescu@timescolonist.com

kdedyna@timescolonist.com