B.C.’s Ministry of Public Safety says it was unaware of the B.C. Coroners Service continuing a practice of attending certain death scenes remotely after 2019.

Ministry spokeswoman Tasha Schollen says the ministry’s understanding was that in-person scene attendance had been “restored” six years ago, and it’s now discussing the situation with the service.

Her remarks come after a former coroner told The Canadian Press that two bodies went unnoticed at the Vancouver death scene of a third person in 2022 in part because the coroner attended remotely by phoning a police officer at the single room occupancy apartment.

Former community coroner Sonya Schulz says the service stopped requiring coroners to physically attend certain scenes to save money several years ago.

A delegate of B.C.’s dire

See Full Page