Category: Advocacy, Policy, Public Health

As we head into a new fiscal year and welcome the onset of spring, we would like to take a moment to update members and allies on our work in light of the continuing dictates of COVID. On an operational level, PAN’s own programs and services continue to be impacted as both BC and Canada… Read more »

Toolkit for Submissions to the BC Police Act Review

Share your voice! The Legislative Assembly of BC has appointed the Special Committee on Reforming the Police Act and BC Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) has developed a toolkit for submissions. Excerpt: The Police Act governs policing power in the province. The Legislative Assembly of BC has appointed the Special Committee on Reforming the Police Act… Read more »

Wednesday, April 14 will mark the 5th anniversary of the declaration of the BC Public Health Emergency of overdose and overdose deaths. This anniversary comes on the heels of BC’s deadliest year ever with 1,716 lives lost to Illicit drug overdoses in 2020. With 329 deaths already recorded in January and February, without dramatic changes… Read more »

Updated with Response On August 3, 2021, we received a response from Sheila Malcolmson, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. It apologizes for the delay and reads in part, Our ministry and our government are committed to creating a system of care that works for everyone, no matter who they are, where they are, or… Read more »

BC’s Overdose Overview March 28 – April 3, 2021

BC’s weekly overdose dashboard of provincial and regional overdose activity provides updates on: • Illegal drug overdoses attended by paramedics (BCEHS) • Illicit drug toxicity deaths (BCCS defined) • Mortality rate maps by Health Services Delivery Area (HSDA) • Severity of ingestion poisoning calls coded in most severe category at time of ambulance dispatch (provincial view)… Read more »

BC’s Overdose Overview March 21 -27, 2021

The BC Weekly Overdose Report provides updates on: Illegal drug overdoses attended by paramedics (BCEHS) Illicit drug toxicity deaths (BCCS defined) Mortality rate maps by Health Services Delivery Area (HSDA) Severity of ingestion poisoning calls coded in most severe category at time of ambulance dispatch (provincial view) Severity of overdose patient presentation assessed by paramedics using… Read more »

CPHO annual report – new supplementary reports

From the Office of the Chief Public Health Officer In October, Dr. Theresa Tam, Chief Public Health Officer of Canada, released her 2020 annual report on the State of Public Health in Canada: From Risk to Resilience: An equity approach to COVID-19. We are pleased to share some new products which were developed to support… Read more »

Pivot, alongside over 20 community-based organizations including PAN, is calling on the City of Vancouver to implement its commitment to decriminalizing poverty and build community-led safety initiatives. This relates to the decriminalizing poverty motion passed last year, and the long term goal of divesting from police and investing in our communities. The funds to support this… Read more »

Substance Use News, March 2021

Substance Use News provides a snapshot of news and resources for those working in harm reduction. We share pieces on the social, medical and political responses to the opioid crisis, from advocacy to welcome change. With the added layer of the coronoavirus/COVID-19 public health constraints, those working in harm reduction have heightened concerns about how… Read more »

Hepatitis C Testing Technologies Visual Resource

As the project coordinator for the Hepatitis C Leadership Project, I wanted to learn more specifics about the various hepatitis C testing technologies. During a conversation focused on community knowledge-building with Dr. Sofia Bartlett from the BCCDC, it was recognized that creating a visual summary of hepatitis C testing technologies could be useful for community…. Read more »

BC’s Overdose Overview March 14 -20, 2021

The BC Weekly Overdose Report provides updates on: Illegal drug overdoses attended by paramedics (BCEHS) Illicit drug toxicity deaths (BCCS defined) Mortality rate maps by Health Services Delivery Area (HSDA) Severity of ingestion poisoning calls coded in most severe category at time of ambulance dispatch (provincial view) Severity of overdose patient presentation assessed by paramedics using… Read more »