2023 showing record high call volumes for paramedic-attended overdoses and poisonings

29/06/2023

New data published by BC Emergency Health Services shows increases in overall call volume each month in 2023, with new daily records and daily average benchmarks being set for Card 23 (overdose/poisoning) events.

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This information is based on preliminary data – final 2023 data will be released early in 2024.

Several new daily records for Card 23 events were set in 2023, with the newest being set on June 21, 2023, with BCEHS receiving 221 overdose/poisoning calls for the day. Of note, June 21 was also income assistance payment day. The previous high was set earlier this year, on March 22, 2023, with BCEHS receiving 205 overdose/poisoning calls that day (also income assistance payment day).

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). BCEHS is on pace to average more than 3,000 calls/month in 2023, and through the first five months of 2023, the average daily calls per day is over 100 for the first time ever.

As of June 27, 2023, in total, there have been 44 days when BCEHS experienced 150 or more calls for Card 23 events – 21 have been in 2023.

Since January 2020, there has been a steady increase in year over year averages of daily calls by month.

View call data by community.