Death at Whitehorse emergency shelter was suspected overdose, gov't says

A person who died this week while visiting a permanent supportive housing unit at the Whitehorse Emergency Shelter was the victim of a suspected overdose, according to territorial health officials.

In an email to CBC News on Wednesday, Department of Health and Social Services spokesperson Thibaut Rondel said the territorial government was notified by Connective — the B.C.-based NGO that operates the shelter — of the suspected overdose death that happened on Monday.  

The deceased person, whose name has not been released, died in one of the Housing First units at the downtown shelter.

Rondel said RCMP and the Yukon coroner were notified of the death and are investigating.

"In the meantime, [Health and Social Services] continues to work with Connective to reinforce harm reduction measures and safety planning within the facility," the email reads.

Yukon RCMP directed a request for comment on Tuesday to the Yukon coroner's service. Chief Coroner Heather Jones said in an email that her office "will not be releasing any information at this time."

The death comes approximately five months after a coroner's inquest on the deaths of four Indigenous women at the shelter between 2022 and 2023. The inquest jury issued eight recommendations, including that Connective review its policies and procedures within six months and give staff better training. The jury also recommended that any future deaths at the shelter be subject to independent review.