Opioid Crisis: Man's Death a Mystery

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March 11, 2017 9:26 pm

Updated: March 11, 2017 9:59 pm

Opioid crisis: Man’s death a mystery due to backlogs at toxicology lab

By Nadia Stewart Videojournalist  Global News

WATCH: The family of a New Westminster man are desperate for some answers tonight into the sudden death of their loved one. Jeffrey Canuel was found dead on a Vancouver bench earlier this week. And as Nadia Stewart reports, they likely won't get those answers anytime soon.

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The family of a New Westminster man wants answers into his sudden death, but they say a delay in toxicology testing means they could be waiting up to four months.
Jeffrey Canuel’s body was found on a bench at the northeast corner of Cambie Street and West 2nd Avenue on Monday morning. How the 26-year-old man got there and what happened to him remains a mystery.
“He goes out drinking for one night and he doesn’t make it home. How are you supposed to make sense of that,” said Ken Canuel, Jeffrey’s brother.

Jeffrey lived in New Westminster, but his family says he’d been out with friends the night before at Funky Winker Beans, a Vancouver bar near East Hastings and Abbott Street. Ken says some details still don’t add up.
“I’m trying to find his cell phone that’s still missing,” Ken said. “We’re phoning around trying to get any video footage. Did he walk there, was he dropped off? He got to that bench somehow and what happened?”
Vancouver Police are investigating. Ken says Jeffrey didn’t have a history of drugs or mental illness.
So far, an autopsy was inconclusive, and the family says they’ve now been told they’ll have to wait a while for toxicology testing.
“Normal toxicology report would be four to five weeks and now with the backlog, we’re waiting three to four months,” Ken said.
Jeffrey’s mother, Sandra, says the wait time is unacceptable.
“No one seems to give me any answers,” she said. “They just say, ‘No it’s the backlogged system. There’s a drug overdose on the street and we’re getting all these extra bodies into the morgue and we don’t have enough space.’”
Toxicology tests are handled by a lab managed by the Provincial Health Services Authority. In a statement, a spokesperson says the lab “is experiencing increased demand for their services due to the current opioid crisis. The lab is working closely with BC Coroners on additional strategies to catch up with current caseload, including staffing strategies to grow and sustain capacity going forward.”
The statement goes on to note other toxicology labs across Canada and the U.S. are experiencing similar challenges due to the opioid crisis.
Jeffrey’s mother is calling on the province to do more.
“No closure for our family for three to four months and that’s just not right. I can’t imagine having to wait that long,” Sandra said.

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