overdose crisis

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, right, meets with B.C. Premier David Eby before an announcement at the Richmond Jewish Day School, in Richmond, B.C., on Friday, December 2, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Trudeau, Eby talk housing , child care, overdose crisis and more during first meeting

Safe consumption forefront of countering the overdose crisis, prime minister says

 

Jordan Williams laid in a hospital bed on life support for many days before his family made the difficult decision to remove the tubes keeping him alive after using drugs reportedly containing fentanyl. (Photo courtesy of Stormy Narcisse)

Family shares grief after son dies from toxic drug poisoning on small town B.C. streets

‘Something needs to be done’ -mother of man, who died this month after using toxic drugs

 

Mental Health and Addictions Minister Sheila Malcolmson was among the nearly three dozen participants at Saturday’s (Nov. 26) Walk With Me event in Courtenay. Photo by Terry Farrell

B.C.’s mental health minister hopes more people listen to stories of toxic drug crisis

Sheila Malcolmson says listening could change the way people view those impacted

 

Victoria Police Chief Del Manak snaps a selfie with three Victoria High students who were presented with a civic service award on Friday for their actions in helping someone who was overdosing in a school washroom. (Kendra Crighton/News Staff)

Saving lives from B.C.’s overdose crisis, one bathroom at a time

Safer Bathroom Toolkit aims to help organizations make lifesaving changes to their washrooms

Victoria Police Chief Del Manak snaps a selfie with three Victoria High students who were presented with a civic service award on Friday for their actions in helping someone who was overdosing in a school washroom. (Kendra Crighton/News Staff)
FILE -Dean Anderson holds up a sign before a march on the first National Day of Action to draw attention to the opioid overdose epidemic, in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, B.C., on Tuesday, February 21, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C.’s overdose crisis: drugs, death and denial on the job

A recent survey of construction workers in B.C. found 1 in 3 self-reported problematic substance use

FILE -Dean Anderson holds up a sign before a march on the first National Day of Action to draw attention to the opioid overdose epidemic, in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, B.C., on Tuesday, February 21, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
B.C. Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Sheila Malcolmson speaks during a news conference, in Vancouver, on Tuesday, May 31, 2022. More grim statistics from the BC Coroners Service show the rate of toxic drug deaths has doubled since the province declared a public health emergency in 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

More comprehensive services required to curb B.C. drug deaths, doctor says

‘I hope we see behind those statistics that it’s really human beings who are dying’

B.C. Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Sheila Malcolmson speaks during a news conference, in Vancouver, on Tuesday, May 31, 2022. More grim statistics from the BC Coroners Service show the rate of toxic drug deaths has doubled since the province declared a public health emergency in 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Local governments are asking Victoria to give them a share of a recent settlement with a drug company. (Black Press file photo)

B.C. communities want a slice of $150 million Purdue Pharma Canada settlement

UBCM delegates say drug crisis is chewing up more local resources than they have

Local governments are asking Victoria to give them a share of a recent settlement with a drug company. (Black Press file photo)
University student Chloe Goodison, shown in this handout image, founded a group that provides overdose prevention education to high school students in Coquitlam, B.C., but is expanding the program this fall with hopes that the province will make awareness about overdose from illicit street drugs a mandatory part of the curriculum instead of leaving that decision to individual school districts. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO

Make overdose education mandatory in B.C. schools amid drug emergency, advocates say

More than 10,000 deaths since B.C. declared toxic drug supply a public health emergency in 2016

University student Chloe Goodison, shown in this handout image, founded a group that provides overdose prevention education to high school students in Coquitlam, B.C., but is expanding the program this fall with hopes that the province will make awareness about overdose from illicit street drugs a mandatory part of the curriculum instead of leaving that decision to individual school districts. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO
Shirley Wilson with her son Jacob, who died of a fentanyl overdose last November.

Abbotsford trustee speaks out about son’s overdose death to help others

Shirley Wilson says her son, Jacob, was ‘more than a statistic’

Shirley Wilson with her son Jacob, who died of a fentanyl overdose last November.
Photos of loved ones outside the Ministry of Health office during an International Overdose Awareness Day event in Victoria. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

Pleas for safe drug supply mark International Overdose Awareness Day in B.C. capital

10,000 people have died of toxic drug poisoning in B.C. since 2016

Photos of loved ones outside the Ministry of Health office during an International Overdose Awareness Day event in Victoria. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
A protester holds a sign during a rally to mark the 2019 National Day of Action on the Overdose Crisis. / Black Press File Photo

Mission’s record for drug-toxicity deaths broken 6 months into 2022

19 deaths in first half of 2022; previous record was 18 for entire year

A protester holds a sign during a rally to mark the 2019 National Day of Action on the Overdose Crisis. / Black Press File Photo
Carolyn Bennett rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Friday, June 10, 2022. Canada’s minister of mental health and addictions says more doctors across the country should be willing to prescribe a safer supply of drugs instead of fearing they will be investigated by their regulatory colleges.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

More doctors across Canada should prescribe safer drugs to reduce overdoses: minister

Physicians who prescribe pharmaceutical-grade alternatives could better support patients: college

Carolyn Bennett rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Friday, June 10, 2022. Canada’s minister of mental health and addictions says more doctors across the country should be willing to prescribe a safer supply of drugs instead of fearing they will be investigated by their regulatory colleges.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
Dean Anderson holds up a sign before a march on the first National Day of Action to draw attention to the opioid overdose epidemic, in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, B.C. in 2017. Currently, B.C.’s Select Standing Committee on Health is seeking public input on the crisis. Deadline to submit is Friday, Aug. 5 at 3 p.m. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Public input sought as committee examines B.C.’s toxic drug crisis

10-member committee includes NDP, Liberal and Green MLAs

Dean Anderson holds up a sign before a march on the first National Day of Action to draw attention to the opioid overdose epidemic, in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, B.C. in 2017. Currently, B.C.’s Select Standing Committee on Health is seeking public input on the crisis. Deadline to submit is Friday, Aug. 5 at 3 p.m. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Kathleen Radu, Moms Stop the Harm member, with her late son Morgan Goodridge, who died from carfentanyl poisoning in 2020. (Courtesy of Kathleen Radu)

‘A pit in our stomach’: B.C. moms say threshold of decriminalized drug possession too little

Moms Stop the Harm said all personal use possession needs to be decriminalized

Kathleen Radu, Moms Stop the Harm member, with her late son Morgan Goodridge, who died from carfentanyl poisoning in 2020. (Courtesy of Kathleen Radu)
Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users president Lorna Bird says her dog Joy can tell when someone is overdosing. (Jane Skrypnek/News Staff)

Overdose detecting dogs save lives, lift spirits in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside

When someone overdoses at VANDU, pups Guess and Joy are quick to alert the nearest human

Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users president Lorna Bird says her dog Joy can tell when someone is overdosing. (Jane Skrypnek/News Staff)
Moms Stop the Harm advocates and supporters gather at Centennial Square on the sixth anniversary to mark the public health emergency of the declaration due to the significant increase in opioid-related overdose across the province during the Cut The Red Tape theme in Victoria, Thursday, April 14, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

Pandemic impacted quality of illicit drugs and ‘contaminants’ in B.C., new study shows

A new study surveyed 738 people who use drugs and found 272 people reported worsening drug quality

Moms Stop the Harm advocates and supporters gather at Centennial Square on the sixth anniversary to mark the public health emergency of the declaration due to the significant increase in opioid-related overdose across the province during the Cut The Red Tape theme in Victoria, Thursday, April 14, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
Mission is on track to see a record number of overdose deaths in 2022. (Paul Henderson/ Chilliwack Progress file)

Mission’s drug-toxicity deaths surge to unprecedented levels in 1st quarter of 2022

13 people die in the first 3 months of 2022; previous record was 18 for whole year

Mission is on track to see a record number of overdose deaths in 2022. (Paul Henderson/ Chilliwack Progress file)
Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Sheila Malcolmson speaks during a press conference in the press gallery at the Legislature in Victoria, Monday, Nov. 1, 2021. In the absence of a national policy on personal drug possession, some Canadian jurisdictions have submitted requests for exemptions from criminal penalties for those who carry small amounts of illicit drugs for personal use. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

Jurisdictions looking to decriminalize small amounts of drugs to curb overdose deaths

Canadian cities, provinces say decriminalization would help reduce stigma associated with drug use

Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Sheila Malcolmson speaks during a press conference in the press gallery at the Legislature in Victoria, Monday, Nov. 1, 2021. In the absence of a national policy on personal drug possession, some Canadian jurisdictions have submitted requests for exemptions from criminal penalties for those who carry small amounts of illicit drugs for personal use. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
People hold banners during a march to remember those who died during the overdose crisis and to call for a safe supply of illicit drugs on International Overdose Awareness Day, in Vancouver, on Tuesday, August 31, 2021. British Columbia’s chief coroner says at least 1,011 people died from suspected illicit drug overdoses from January to June, the highest death toll recorded in the first six months of a calendar year during the province’s overdose crisis. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Safe-supply pilot project findings promising, but advocates say more action is needed

The programs are small and have very limited capacity to prescribe a safe supply of drugs

People hold banners during a march to remember those who died during the overdose crisis and to call for a safe supply of illicit drugs on International Overdose Awareness Day, in Vancouver, on Tuesday, August 31, 2021. British Columbia’s chief coroner says at least 1,011 people died from suspected illicit drug overdoses from January to June, the highest death toll recorded in the first six months of a calendar year during the province’s overdose crisis. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
A handheld device showing the loading screen for the Alberta Digital Overdose Response System mobile application is shown alongside a pair of Narcan nasal injectors in a photo illustration in Toronto, Monday, Dec. 6, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Giordano Ciampini

‘Maddening, heartbreaking’: Alberta records deadliest year for drug overdoses in 2021

Most fatal overdoses are linked to opioids and took place in Calgary and Edmonton

A handheld device showing the loading screen for the Alberta Digital Overdose Response System mobile application is shown alongside a pair of Narcan nasal injectors in a photo illustration in Toronto, Monday, Dec. 6, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Giordano Ciampini