Trends
Based on data in 2024 for Card 23 (overdose/poisoning events), the following observations can be made. Note, the data reflects the number of overdose/poisoning calls paramedics have responded to in each health authority and province-wide.
- In 2024, BCEHS experienced 10 months with more than 3,000 overdose/poisoning calls for the year.
- In 2023, BCEHS experienced 11 months with more than 3,000 overdose/poisoning calls for the year.
- In 2022, BCEHS experienced two months with more than 3,000 overdose/poisoning calls for the year, including the first single-day total over 200 on Jan. 19, 2022 (203 calls).
- As of Dec. 31, 2024, in total, there have been 12 days when BCEHS experienced 170 or more calls for Card 23 events – 19 were in 2023.
Historic highest call volume days
On June 21, 2023, BCEHS recorded 221 calls for overdose/poisonings, the highest call volume day so far and the fifth over 200 to date.
Total Card 23 (overdose/poisoning) calls
- June 21, 2023: 221
- June 23, 2023 210
- June 22, 2023: 209
- March 22, 2023: 205
- Jan. 19, 2022: 203
Historic average calls/day by month since 2020
- In the latter 3 months of 2024, the average calls per day fell below 100. This was the first time calls for Card 23 events had fallen below 100 since January 2023. However, a new daily call average high was set in June at 129.1 calls/day.
- Since January 2020, there has been a steady increase in year over year averages of daily calls by month:
- In January 2020, BCEHS averaged 59.3 Card 23 calls per day. By contrast, those totals were much higher in the subsequent four January averages:
- January 2021 (76.2)
- January 2022 (98.2)
- January 2023 (97.9)
- January 2024 (108.7)
2024 - Average calls/day by month
- January: 108.7
- February: 111.8
- March: 112.5
- April: 112
- May: 116.5
- June: 129.1
- July: 126
- August: 122.8
- September: 111.4
- October: 96.8
- November: 92.1
- December: 89.5
2023 - Average calls/day by month
- January: 97.9
- February: 103.8
- March: 118.4
- April: 120.0
- May: 115.9
- June: 127.9
July: 127.2
August: 121.8
September: 120.3
October: 106.7
November: 112.6
December: 113.5
2022 - Average calls/day by month
- January: 98.2
- February: 97.3
- March: 96.2
- April: 99.6
- May: 98.2
- June: 94.3
- July: 90.4
- August: 89.6
- September: 88.3
- October: 84.7
- November: 85.3
- December: 84.8
2021 - Average calls/day by month
- January: 76.2
- February: 81.9
- March: 81.8
- April: 91.9
- May: 96.0
- June: 100.6
- July: 116.3
- August: 112.6
- September: 106.9
- October: 105.0
- November: 103.5
- December: 95.8
2020 - Average calls/day by month
- January: 59.3
- February: 59.2
- March: 63.1
- April: 71.9
- May: 74.9
- June: 79.0
- July: 87.3
- August: 76.5
- September: 81.0
- October: 83.3
- November: 76.7
- December: 74.9
