Past stories from The Discourse.

Comment: Want to end the drug poisoning crisis? Start by listening to people who use drugs

Vancouver Island’s ‘hidden epidemic’ and those fighting to understand it: How Nanaimo became ground zero in the fight for toxic drug crisis survivors who are left with brain injuries.

Fact checking claims about NANDU and peer-run safe consumption sites

Analysis: Evidence-based solutions needed more than ever to tackle dual housing and toxic drug crises

A solution that nobody even imagined’: The Village as a model for housing and mental health and addictions support

A Place at the Table: After the loss of a son, a dinner invitation opens a door to connection.

Overdose Awareness Day in Duncan highlights need to ‘talk about it’

Comox Valley International Overdose Awareness Day event

Comox Valley Community Action Team will host an International Overdose Awareness Day event at Simms Park on Aug. 31 from noon until 4 p.m. There will be cultural and community services, memorials, harm reduction information and naloxone training, as well as music from local DJs. 

Comox Valley resources

Unbroken chain - Indigenous harm reduction program: Provides support to individuals impacted by the overdose crisis, including people with lived and living experience, family and friends and youth, and those who are at risk of homelessness and are experiencing homelessness.

AVI Health and Community Services Comox Valley: Delivers sex-positive and harm-reduction-based education, prevention and support services.

Comox Valley Health Connections Clinic:

• Opioid Agonist Treatment

• HIV/Hep B & C treatment

The Village Clinic: Specializing in opioid agonist therapy and anti-craving medications for alcohol.

Comox Valley Mental Health & Substance Use: Island Health-run single access point for adults seeking mental health and substance use services.

Comox Valley Alano Club: A cafe that is open to the general public and also hosts 12-Step meetings at noon and in the evenings.

Comox Valley Recovery Center: A mens in-house recovery centre based on a 12-Step model.

Comox Valley Hospice Society: For local grief support.

Nanaimo International Overdose Awareness Day event

The Nanaimo Community Action Team (CAT) has spent weeks gathering 500 purple chairs to create a visual tribute at Diana Krall Plaza, honouring those who died as a result of the toxic drug crisis for International Overdose Awareness Day on Aug. 31. 

"It's a call to action, a call to come together as a community to honor those we've lost and to stand with those who continue to fight," CAT said in a campaign statement. The Purple Chair Campaign and vigil will take place from noon to 3 p.m., and community members are invited to bring personal items, photos or notes to place on the chairs.

Nanaimo resources

Nanaimo Area Network of Drug Users (NANDU): Providing user-to-user education, advocacy and support.

Risebridge: Offers low-barrier safe spaces, empowerment programming, community engagement and support services for the mid-Island.

Vancouver Island Mental Health Society: Provides rehabilitative, supportive and harm reduction programs in Nanaimo.

AVI Health and Community Services Nanaimo: Delivers sex-positive and harm-reduction-based education, prevention and support services.

Nanaimo and Area Resource Services for Families (NARSF): Providing health, harm-reduction and counselling services to children, youth, families and individuals.

Snuneymuxw Hulit Lelum – Health Centre: Supporting adults, Elders, children and families who live on and off reserve.

Nanaimo Community Hospice: For local grief support.

Cowichan Valley International Overdose Awareness Day events

Friday, Aug. 30: Join Vancouver Island Regional Library at the Cowichan Branch from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. for an afternoon film screening of Flood: The Overdose Epidemic in Canada and a Q&A with local Island Health mental health and addiction workers. The event is to honour International Overdose Awareness Day, which takes place on Aug. 31.

Friday, Aug. 30: An annual walk in honour of Overdose Awareness Day will take place on the Sea Walk in Crofton on Aug. 30. Events begin at 6 p.m. and include performances from the Tzinquaw Dancers and musicians. Titled “A walk for J: Steps to Healing and Awareness,” the event is organized by local Cowichan Valley Citizen reporter Chadd Cawson. Read more about it.

Saturday, Aug. 31: Head to Charles Hoey Park between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. for Purple Ribbon Day, hosted by the Cowichan Community Action Team in honour of International Overdose Awareness Day. There will be a performance from the Tzinquaw Dancers at 11 a.m. and a barbecue starting at noon. Service providers will be available to learn from, and a memorial will be in place.

Cowichan Valley resources

2024 Duncan Street Survival Guide: A list of resources, supports, services and contacts including harm reduction services, overdose prevention sites, substance use services, counselling, support and more. Prepared by the Cowichan Community Action Team.

Resources shared by Cowichan Tribes: Including addiction treatment and recovery, safe supply and harm reduction, counselling and mental health support and help lines. 

Cowichan Community Action Team: Working to end the poisoned drug crisis and the stigma of drug use.

Cowichan Hospice: For local grief support. Also accessible by phone at 250-701-4242.

General resources

National Overdose Response Service: A virtual safer consumption hotline. Call 1-888-688-6677 before using drugs to connect with someone who will stay on the line and ensure your safety.

Lifeguard App: For people who use drugs alone. The app connects people to first responders in the case of an overdose.

Connecting to Culture video shorts: Short videos from the First Nations Health Authority to support discussions in First Nations communities about harm reduction, substance use and stigma.

First Nations Health Authority harm reduction website: Information about decriminalization, Indigenous harm reduction, Naloxone, opioid agonist therapy, overdose prevention, substance use and healing and more.

BC Bereavement Helpline: Free, confidential service that connects people to grief support services in B.C. Call the helpline at 604-738-9950 or toll free at 1-877-779-2223 from Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. or email contact@bcbh.ca.

Moms Stop The Harm: A network for families impacted by substance use-related harms and death.

Here to Help: Access information and resources that support your mental health and help you use substances in healthier ways, as well as information on how to support a loved one.

Get a take-home Naloxone kit: Learn how to get a Naloxone kit to carry with you in case you need to respond to an opioid overdose.

B.C. Region of Narcotics Anonymous

Island Health Drug Checking Services

Island Health Overdose Prevention and Supervised Consumption Locations

Island Health Youth Intensive Case Management Team: Support for youth experiencing persistent and complex substance use with additional vulnerabilities.

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