B.C. deaths nearly triple during heatwave: Coroner

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — BC Coroners Service says it will be investigating the tragic deaths of nearly 500 people across the province, the increase believed to be linked to the B.C. heatwave.

Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe says between Friday and 1 p.m. Wednesday, at least 486 sudden and unexpected deaths have been reported.

“The 486 deaths currently entered represent a 195% increase over the approximately 165 deaths that would normally occur in the province over a five-day period, ” she said in a statement.

While it is too early to say with certainty, it is believed the significant increase is attributable to the extreme heat across the province.

Tuesday B.C. Premier John Horgan faced backlash over his comments on the heat-related deaths saying in part that “fatalities are a part of life.” Shortly after, Horgan released a statement on Twitter that read “Mourning families deserve our compassion, and the wording of my comments didn’t reflect that.”

Meantime questions remain on whether any of these deaths were preventable, with many criticizing the response from the provincial government.

“Any death is tragic and I want to offer my condolences to anyone who’s lost a loved one,” Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said at a press conference Wednesday as he answered questions about the provincial response.

The Minister warns that heat events will become more common due to climate change and the province is examining ways to respond to them in the future.

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“In terms of Emergency Management BC we are working with a complete rewrite of the Emergency Program Act that has traditionally dealt with fires and floods…my expectations is that the events of this weekend will factor into that working development legislation,” Farnworth said.

Farnworth says they are also considering the possibility of mandating community centres or civic facilities to be opened up in the case of an emergency and that local governments would be required to have a plan in place if changes are made.

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He says the next steps will hinge on the report from the BC Coroners Service, which is expected to outline recommendations in hopes of preventing similar tragedies.

Those results are expected to take some time, as the Service says it has been working around the clock, but due to the massive increase in reported deaths, there have been delays.

“We have reallocated resources and are continuing to do everything within our power to minimize wait times,” Lapointe said and thanked law enforcement partners for their help throughout this period.

British Columbians are urged to check on their loved ones, especially seniors and people with underlying health conditions. A heat warning remains in effect for Metro Vancouver and the heat is expected to remain for the rest of the week, according to Environment Canada.

More preliminary findings on the deaths is expected Friday.