By Michelle Gamage, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Tyee Former chief coroner Lisa Lapointe recently criticized B.C.’s drug policies, saying the province’s approach to the ongoing toxic drug crisis is not evidence based. Lapointe, who was B.C.’s longest-standing chief coroner and held the position for 13 years before retiring in 2024, was speaking as part of a new, ongoing webinar series, “Perspectives on 10 Years in Crisis,” hosted by the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition. Lapointe was interviewed by Jody Paterson. (Paterson is the partner of Tyee senior editor Paul Willcocks, who was not involved with the editing of this article.) In April B.C. will have been under a public health emergency for a decade. During that time more than 18,800 British Columbians have lost their lives after being poisoned by…








