Protests, marches and memories: B.C.’s toxic drug crisis emergency marks 9 years

It has been nine years since B.C. issued a public health emergency in response to the toxic drug crisis.

Marches were held across the province on Monday to remember those who have died and to honour those whose fight continues.

More than 16,000 lives have been lost due to unregulated toxic drugs since the emergency was declared in 2016.

B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry issued a joint statement marking the sombre anniversary.

Henry said that while the number of people killed per month by toxic drugs is dropping, drug toxicity and unpredictability is increasing on the streets.

The First Nations Health Authority says that in 2024, 427 First Nations people across B.C. died from a toxic drug overdose.

That number is down 6.8 per cent from 458 First Nations people in 2023.

“We must never give in to complacency and fatigue when it comes to caring for, and trying to assist, our relatives who are struggling with substance use and/or mental health issues, including intergenerational trauma and who have been harmed by the unregulated, dangerous and potentially lethal supply of substances,” Chief Medical Officer Dr. Cornelia (Nel) Wieman said at a press conference.

She added that while it is a relief to see a decrease in deaths from 2024 to 2023, the First Nations death rate in 2024 was still 6.7 times higher than the rate of other B.C. residents.

“This is the largest gap we have seen between First Nations and other residents of toxic drug deaths since 2016 when the public health emergency was declared,” Wieman added.

In 2024, 60.7 per cent of the 427 First Nations’ deaths were among males, while 39.3 per cent of those who died in 2024 were female.

“It’s not data, it’s our people,” Wenecwtsin, known by many as Wayne Christian, former Kukpi7 of Splatsin & Tribal Chief of Secwepemc said at the press conference.

“Every one of us here in British Columbia has been impacted by this opiate poisoning over the almost last decade.”

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Wenecwtsin said that maybe this could be a turning point for the First Nations Health Authority and the fight against the opioid crisis.

Protesters at an event in Vancouver said the solution to the crisis is a safe, regulated supply and were protesting the reversal of harm reduction pilot projects and trials.

“If they want people to get into recovery and abstinence, they have to be willing to let the harm reduction part happen,” Dave Hamm with the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users said.

“If people are not allowed to live, give them a safe way to use until they change things up.”

B.C.’s solicitor general and public safety critic, Elenore Sturko, said a lot of time has been wasted with political experimental pathways and  “unwitnessed safe supply that has actually fuelled fentanyl trade and put drugs directly into the hands of criminals.”

“While the crisis rolls on it has been given almost no notice on the federal campaign trail.”

The Conservatives have promised to beef up treatment options and restrict supervised consumption sites, but the Liberals and NDP have said almost nothing on the topic.