Across B.C., 36 people died outdoors in the first two weeks of January as an arctic chill gripped towns and cities, the BC Coroners Service reports.
Of all those lives lost from Jan. 1 to Jan. 16, 12 were from the Interior Health region, the coroners service said. It’s unclear how many of these deaths were in the Okanagan, where thermometers saw the mercury drop below -20 C.
Of note, this year’s cold-snap death toll is similar to the number of outdoor deaths the previous year, when 34 people died. Regional numbers from last year were not readily available, nor was the precise cause of death, just that they were outside.
“We are deeply saddened by this news. It is heartbreaking for the community and for the families of those who have died,” Troy McKnight, director of resource development from Kelowna’s Gospel Mission, said.
McKnight couldn’t speak to any of the details about the deaths in the valley but said their work has yet to wrap up with winter conditions persisting.
“Our outreach team continues to serve our unhoused neighbours daily, providing hot food, hand warmers, cold weather gear as well as sleeping bags and blankets to help protect people living unsheltered in the cold.”
Across the province, the coroners service data shows that the highest number of people, five, died on Jan. 12, a day when numerous low-temperature records were broken across B.C.
Environment Canada reported that 16 communities recorded a record-low temperature for Jan. 12, with another four tying their record low. The coldest area in the province was Puntzi Mountain at -48.4 C. The previous record for the community, located around two hours west of Williams Lake, was -40.6 C, set in 1969.
Temperatures didn’t improve much in the two days that followed.
While 12 outdoor deaths were in Interior Health, the Coroner’s Service said there were seven in Fraser Health, nine in Vancouver Coastal, six in Island Health and two in Northern Health.
Outdoor deaths are those that occur in public spaces, on streets or sidewalks, or in parking lots, parks, trails and campgrounds.
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