Coroner's inquest into Brandon Jansen's fentanyl-related death begins

The BC Coroners Service's public inquestinto the death of Brandon Jansen beganMonday, nearly a year after the 20-year-old died.

Jansendied from a fentanyl-relatedoverdose at a substance-abuse treatment centre in Powell River on March 7, 2016.

Jansen's mother, Michelle,said she dropped her son off at the Sunshine Coast Medical Centre for treatment for his drug addiction.

The next morning, she couldn't get a hold of him and knew something was wrong.

One of the key issues at the inquest was how the drugs got into the facility.Michelle Jansenhas said it's unclear if a piece of luggage brought into the centre was checked.

Melanie Jordan, the CEO of the Sunshine Coast Medical Centre, saidthe facility's policy isto check every bag.

"Those claims come out of a police report," Jordan said outside the inquest. "We're goingto hear info from the police reports ... and we'll find out about the luggage in more detail."

Jordan is expected to testify later this week.

Inquest called last fall

Chief coroner Lisa Lapointeannounced the inquest last November. The office launches inquests when a death is part of a dangerous trend or is particularly concerning.

It saidJansen'soverdose was an example of the hundreds of illicit drug deathsin the province in 2016.

Although Brandon Jansenis the focus of this inquest, the hope is to find answers on how to deal with B.C.'s opioid overdose crisis more broadly.

Michelle Jansen said she hopes the inquest can spark change.

"This is very important exercise but if those recommendations aren't implemented and just sit on the back burner and peoplecontinue to die why did we do this?" she said outside the inquest.

• 'We could have saved Brandon,' says rehab centre of fentanyl overdose victim
• B.C. needs more treatment beds for addicted youth, grieving mothers say

She saidher son had triedto kick his opioid addiction nearly a dozen times.

Coroner Michael Egilson is overseeing the inquest. The five-member jury will make recommendations on how to prevent similar overdose deaths.

The inquest runs until the end of January.