This story contains references to suicide.
The BC Coroners Service says the number of inmate deaths in the province is on the rise.
Between Jan. 1, 2013, and Dec. 31, 2023, 188 deaths were reported in state and federal correctional facilities, the department said.
The report found that 25 inmate deaths occurred in 2023, compared with an average of 17 deaths per year during that period. By comparison, 11 inmate deaths were reported in 2013.
According to the medical examiner’s office, 60 percent of the deaths over the 10-year period were classified as natural causes, 18 percent as accidental, and 15 percent as suicide.
The agency noted that the data is provisional and does not include deaths in correctional facilities, police custody or forensic psychiatric hospitals.
According to the report, 60 per cent of the deaths occurred at federal facilities, with the Pacific Laboratory in Abbotsford, British Columbia, leading the way with 64 deaths, followed by Mission Laboratories with 15.
Among provincial facilities, North Fraser Pretrial Centre in Port Coquitlam has the highest number of deaths with 23, followed by Surrey Pretrial Services Centre with 20 deaths.
About 72 percent of the 188 people who died were between the ages of 30 and 69, and all but three were men, according to the coroner’s office.
‘Heartbreaking’ suicide rate
Jennifer Metcalfe, executive director of Prisoners’ Legal Services, described the figures as “alarming”.
To her, they are evidence of the lack of access to adequate medical care for prisoners, many of whom are already socially marginalized and in need of intense physical and mental care.
Metcalf also noted that the general issue of suicide in prisons is a major concern, as it occurs at a disproportionate rate in prisons compared to the general population.
She said the measures reflected a “lack of movement” against the use of lockdowns, which are akin to solitary confinement in prisons and can amount to torture under the UN definition, depending on the length of isolation. — and a lack of mental health care to help those who have had these experiences.
“It’s heartbreaking but not surprising that the suicide rate is so high,” she said.
Mr Metcalfe called for medical services in prisons to be provided independently through health organisations to prevent deaths.
They also pointed to Canada’s colonial history and its long-lasting damage, and called for more collection of race-based data and a reallocation of funding from correctional services to Indigenous communities.
Certified medical care in facilities
In a written statement to CBC News, Correctional Service Canada (CSC) said it takes inmate deaths “very seriously.”
In a statement, CSC outlined its care capabilities and said its health services have been assessed by the Canadian Accreditation Agency, a national non-profit that accredits other health care providers such as provincial health service agencies. The agency also said it invests in and works with local organizations to support Indigenous people in prison and those reintegrating back into society.
British Columbia’s Ministry of Public Safety, which oversees the Correctional Service, and the Solicitor General did not provide comment to CBC News by deadline.
